Carlton Town -Mixed Emotions !!!

We all knew that April was going to be a difficult month and that with the games running out that our League status was still very much in doubt. We were still sitting in the bottom four of the division and with only five fixtures remaining our situation was very precarious. With the fate of the North Shields ground grading appeal now thrown into the hat it was important that our results and good run continued as our survival at ‘Step 4’ was now looking likely to head into a lottery scenario.

Carlton Town 2-1 Consett AFC

The first of two fixtures over the Bank Holiday weekend saw Consett arrive at ‘The Lane’ and looking to do the double over us to add to our woes. Having played them earlier in the season and been on the end of a five-nil drubbing we were looking at the opposition knowing that we had to avenge that very sorry day. Things didn’t start well for us and within five minutes of the game the visitors had stole the lead with their very first offensive move. Carlton had started the game brightly and penned Consett back before Greenwood for the visitors would score on the break. Half-time arrived with no addition to the scoreline and with ‘The Millers still very much in the ascendancy. We came out for the second period and within two minutes of the restart our efforts were finally rewarded when Niall Davie would raise our spirits and level things up as we continued to oppress our opposition. There would be no further addition to the score sheet until Alex Troke would hit the net fifteen minutes from time with a well-taken penalty to give us the points.

Worksop Town 4-0 Carlton Town

Two days later and we were back on the road with a short trip up to the now crowned League Champions. The home side were looking to continue their undefeated season and were in no mood to let us spoil their record. Knowing that we had to go out and get a result and that we were going to be right up against it, the team on the day showed a great fighting spirit. We took the game to half-time without conceding and gave ourselves a great chance to possibly gain a shock result as the boys were fighting courageously against a very assertive side. The home side would break the deadlock very quickly after the break with an unfortunate own goal from Dan Brown who headed past Mike Emery to give them the momentum they needed. This encouraged Worksop and within five minutes they added to their account to leave us a little deflated but still not out of it. Both sides continued to try and out fight each other before the home side with ten minutes remaining would add to their tally. Six minutes later and the home side added a fourth to send us home with nothing to show but a hard-working experience.

Lincoln United 1-0 Carlton Town

With both sides sitting next to each other in the table and both hanging on to our lifelines by a thread this one was a real opportunity for either side to gain some breathing space. The game started disastrously for us and within the first couple of minutes we would find ourselves a goal down. With this early shock and still plenty of time to play we were still confident that we could turn things around and leave with the points. We finished the half still a goal down and with nothing to show for our efforts, but still very much in the fight. The second half continued in the same vein as the first and our fluency with our approach play would amount to nothing by the time the final whistle arrived.

Pontefract Collieries 2-2 Carlton Town

With the previous result not to our liking we headed north into West Yorkshire to a mid-week fixture knowing that we had to get a result against a very resolute team. The fixture would be played over three days when a very serious head injury to Niall Davie just after the half hour mark would lead to the game being abandoned with ‘The Millers’ a goal behind. Two days later we would return North and come home with a very welcome point in a two all draw after having taken the lead. Two goals from the home side sandwiched between an early Niall Hylton strike and a late Kieran Watson finish would bring a very welcome point back to Stoke Lane as our plight would be continuing to the wire.

Carlton

Town 2-0 Dunston

Our final league fixture of the season and a win was the only outcome that we needed. Even though we were unsure of how the situation with North Shields was going to turn out we knew that if we took all three points we would still be at the peril of the authorities. We took to our task and with only five minutes passed opened the scoring. The game bounced from end to end throughout and was still in the balance right up until it’s demise despite ‘The Millers’ being in full control. With only two minutes to go Nat Watson would bring the curtain down with a good finish after some good build up play.

Carlton Town 2-3 Newark & Sherwood United

With our league campaign now over and our status confirmed we headed to the home of Eastwood Town for our County Cup final and a chance to retain the trophy. This one we knew was going to be a tough experience and that our opposition on the night would be a very hard-working opponent indeed. Our thoughts and concerns were confirmed very early on when the opponents would take the lead after only five minutes. A second goal was added ten minutes later and then a further ten minutes into the game we would concede a penalty which Mike Emery would save. The opposition on the night would throw everything at us and even though the scoreline at half-time was only a two-goal deficit we knew we were still in with a shout. Our play in the second half improved and we created more opportunities that we really should have capitalised on. As we entered the final ten minutes with no addition to the score-line, Nat Watson would pull a goal back before Newark would increase their advantage two minutes later in what was now the most pulsating time of the fixture. Dean Freeman would get his head to the ball at the far post at the death as we headed into injury time to reduce the scoreline again in what was now a real blockbusting final flourish. The game would end with no further addition to the score-line and the cup would head to North Nottinghamshire for the first time in the club’s history. So, with our season over and our survival confirmed we head into the summer with mixed emotions. Our campaign was not as we had hoped and expected that it would be and our journey through the season had many twists and turns that surprised us. We knew from the off that we would be heading into the unknown after our appeal at the start of the season was turned down regarding the division allocation. Despite this and with all the high and low points over the past nine months we have come through it with only a few bumps and bruises. Our status for next season remains at ‘Step 4’ and our work will continue after the summer break to push our great club up the pyramid.