Dunkirk 1-5 Carlton Town (Friendly) 13.07.21

James Matthews scored a hattrick as Carlton Town won 5-1 at Dunkirk in their second friendly of the summer.

On a pleasant evening by the River Trent, Sam Harbottle gave the home side a ninth minute lead when he headed home from close range after Carlton failed to deal with a free kick.

But the Millers were level within six minutes when Nat Watson converted a penalty awarded for a foul on Tyler Johal.

Two minutes later Matthews put Carlton ahead.  Daryll Thomas did well to keep the ball in play on the left before slipping the ball into Watson.  He showed some lovely footwork to move the ball to Matthews who stepped away from his marker before firing low into the corner of the net from just inside the area.

Watson and Jack Cockram went close before Thomas saw a cheeky chip from outside the area just go over the bar with the goalkeeper stranded as Carlton controlled the game.

On 41 minutes Matthews bagged his second.  Niall Davie played a short corner to Khyle Sargeant, his cross was headed back by Watson to Matthews who volleyed into the bottom corner of the net from 20 yards.

The Millers created yet more openings in the second half, with Watson heading just wide from a Joel Daft cross before Daft himself made it 4-1, running onto a Watson through ball, after some fine play by Tom Maddison and Thomas, and firing home from the edge of the area.

Matthews completed his treble on 69 minutes with an emphatic penalty into the roof of the net after Jacob Sturgess was brought down.

There was still time for Cockram to have a goal chalked off for offside as Carlton kept moving the ball around for the remainder of the game.

Carlton Town: Steggles (Triallist 57), Cockram (Sturgess 46), Johal (Fletcher 46), Gorman (Brown 46), Moore (Cockram 70), Holmes (Davie 69), Sargeant (Maddison 46), Matthews, Thomas (Triallist 63), Watson, Davie (Daft 46).

*Article provided by Sky Blue Miller.

*Main image @nswift37 Dunkirk FC’s Lenton Lane ground.