Shildon 0-4 Carlton Town (Northern Premier League East Division) 08.10.22

Goals from Brad Wells and Aaron O’Connor bookended by a Kyle Tomlin brace saw Carlton Town to an emphatic 4-0 win at Shildon.

A recurring theme this season has been the inability of the Millers to put away their chances when they are on top in games.  Well they certainly put that one to bed in a one-sided conclusion to the game that saw the visitors strike three times in the final 17 minutes to secure a third win of the campaign.

Tommy Brookbanks and Mark Harvey made four changes to the side which had drawn with Tadcaster last time out.  In came Niall Hylton, Alex Howes, Ryan Tait and the re-signed Jared Holmes.  They replaced Tyler Johal, Niall Davie (both absent), Cain Noble (recalled by Nuneaton Borough) and Tyler Blake.

Holmes slotted into his familiar position just in front of the back four and it had an immediate effect on the team, whose passing looked more composed from the outset.  It also allowed Tomlin and Tait the freedom to dart about and seek to create opportunities going forward.

Shildon were being watched by their new manager-elect, Ian Clark, who had a watching brief for this game.

It was the Millers who had the first chance of the game on nine minutes when Aaron Opoku slipped the ball to O’Connor.  He in turn fed Howes whose cross was volleyed goalwards by Tait and drew an excellent diving save from Matthew Bateman.

Shildon should have opened the scoring on 15 minutes when Wilson Kneeshaw burst through the Carlton defence on the left hand side to leave himself one-on-one against Mikey Emery.  But Emery narrowed the angle and Kneeshaw pulled his effort wide of target.

The Railwaymen enjoyed a spell of possession and Carlton were grateful to Dan Brown in particular for a couple of key interceptions.

The Millers then opened the scoring themselves on 25 minutes.  Kurt Matthews miscued a pass which Opoku seized upon to dart into the right wing position.  He pulled the ball back to Tait who played a lovely cross into Tomlin who had time to bring the ball under control before steering into the corner of the net.

Brown was once again on hand to thwart Jon Weirs and Kneeshaw either side of half time.  By now Carlton had plenty of the ball but knew a second goal was vital to kill off their opponents.

That duly arrived on 73 minutes.  Substitute Blake played a lovely chip which set fellow substitute Wells clear of the home defence.  He took his time, cut inside Alex White and then fired hard and low into the corner of the net to the delight of the excellent travelling support behind the goal.

Three minutes later it really was game over as O’Connor fired into the top corner from eight yards after a good run and cross from Hylton found the striker completely unmarked.

Lawrence Gorman made an almost unbelievable double-block to prevent the home side grabbing a consolation goal before Tomlin put the icing on the cake in the final minute of added time with Carlton’s fourth.  Blake played the ball forward to Wells who twisted and turned in the penalty area before slipping the ball wide to O’Connor.  His cross found Tomlin unmarked and he side-footed first time into the bottom corner of the net to complete a fine team performance.

At the end the entire squad came across to the travelling faithful to applaud them for their efforts on an enjoyable day indeed.

Carlton Town: Emery, Gorman, Hylton, Ball, Brown, Holmes, Tait (Blake 63), Tomlin, Opoku (Wells 63), O’Connor, Howes (Watson 69).

*Article provided by Sky Blue Miller.

*Main image @CTFC1904 Nathan Watson in action for Carlton Town.