In The Pink !!!

Having started the New Year with a last gasp equaliser against local rivals Long Eaton United to share the local bragging rights we looked at the forthcoming fixture list with a lot of hope that we could pick up some useful points. How wrong we were with that analysis, we would go the whole month without gaining any points as we succumbed to three consecutive league defeats against opposition that had all had decent form prior to our engagements. To add to our woes, we would also not score in the league from open play since our last fixture at the back of November when Kyle Tomlin would find the net on that day in a four-one defeat at home to Lincoln United.

Carlton Town 0-2 Grimsby Borough

Our encounter with the visitors on the day was expected to be a tough fixture despite our early season victory over them. We knew that the game would be intense and that the opponents would be difficult to break down, but we were confident that we would get a result against a team that had been in good form. The scores were level at half-time and as we usually do, we took the game to the opposition straight from the break. The game had been very balanced throughout with both sides carving openings but with no end results. It would be ten minutes into the second period when the away side would break the deadlock in what was still a very open game. Despite all Carlton’s efforts we couldn’t capitalise on our good play, and we would be undone again with five minutes to go when Edwin Essel for the visitors put the game beyond doubt.

Stocksbridge Park Steels 2-0 Carlton Town

Our next fixture was an away day in South Yorkshire and again we were up against a side that had in recent weeks gained some useful points and consistency. Another form side and another difficult opponent beckoned on what was possibly the coldest day of the season so far. We went about our business as usual by taking the game to the home side. Our passing for the most was neat and accurate, and our play was some of the best that we had seen for many a week. Again, we reached the end of the first period all-square and content that we had been the better side. We opened the second period on the front foot and again took the game to the home side in the hope of getting an early reward. Our efforts continued to go unrewarded and with twenty minutes gone in the second half the home side would score against the run of play. Not being defeatists, we continued to mount the pressure on the home side and would still not find the back of the net as all our efforts passed by in vain. The next addition to the scoresheet would be from the home side again with only three minutes left on the clock and this would see us return from a fixture that we had mostly overrun and outplayed the opposition. Our fortunes on the day saw us hit the woodwork three times in a fixture we were just not meant to get anything from.

Carlton Town 0-2 Shildon

Two weeks on and our next league fixture saw the return leg of a team that we had thumped four-nil back in October. The opposition were sitting second from bottom in the table but had also like our previous two opponents had been in good form. Again the game was scoreless at half-time and again we opened the second period as the advancing team. Ten minutes in and the opposition would find the net after Carlton lost possession in midfield. The ball was moved down the left flank and as the cross came in Dan Brown would head into our net to give the visitors the lead. Still an open game and still a lot of time for this to be avenged was what we thought as we still stuck to our tac-tics to find an equaliser. Seven minutes on and the net was found again, unfortunately for ourselves it wasn't in our favour as the visitors would shock us to gain a two goal lead. This is how the score would remain to the end of the game as our visitors overall were justified winners in a game where Carlton failed to convert our chances.

Mansfield Town 1-1 Carlton Town (2-4 penalties)

Our next fixture was the semi-final of the Notts Senior Cup against a side that had despatched Notts County six-one in the previous round. We went into this one as the current champions but also as the underdogs due to the status of the home side and also due to our recent run of poor results. Not being given much chance of a result and the thoughts of a possible hiding to come we had nothing to lose. Our play on the night was superb, we took the game to the home team and played with much exuberance and at times flair. We passed the ball well, got in amongst our opponents and played with a passion that had not been apparent for a while. Our efforts would be rewarded five minutes before half-time when a Mansfield defender would handle the ball in the box and give our goalkeeper Mike Emery the opportunity to score from the spot. This he did and we would go into the break with a well-deserved lead. Out came the opposition from the restart to put us on the backfoot and within ten minutes they had equalised with a neat finish by Knowles who slotted the ball in from a tight angle. Carlton despite the setback would still stand firm and with the returning Niall Davie from injury causing all sorts of problems down the right flank would still fight for every second and every blade of grass. With Nat Watson pulling the strings and super sub Alex Howes playing probably the game of his life The Millers would still finish the game the stronger side as neither team were able to add to the scoreline. So to penalties it went and Carlton were first up, Kyle Dixon had his saved, Mike Emery would save two as well as convert his own spot kick and then it was left to Alex Howes to finish the job off via the goalkeeper’s hand and post to leave us in the pink.

With a barren month behind us on the points side of things in the league and with no goals scored by any outfield player since the back of November we go into our next block of fixtures needing to turn these facts around. Our joy in the Senior Cup is something to build on and we hope things will progress from our successful night at Field Mill as our league position needs to improve quickly. We know there are still many fixtures to come and that there is still a lot of work to be done. The league is our bread and butter and our status within it is the most important of all.

Forthcoming Fixtures:

4th February Tadcaster Albion (a)

7th February Brighouse Town (h)

11th February Bridlington Town (h)

18th February Sheffield (a)

25th February Hebburn Town (h)

28th February Ossett United (a)