Evo-Stik NPL League East Division
Bill Stokeld Stadium, Stoke Lane, Gedling, Nottingham
Wednesday, 26th September 2018, 3.00pm
Millers Grind Down Gresley
Gresley manager could barely contain his anger after watching his side thoroughly beaten by Carlton Town.
To his credit he said he took full responsibility for such an inept performance which saw his side suffer the heaviest defeat so far of the season. Commenting after the game he said it was possibly the worst he’d seen in 700 odd games, and who could argue with that? However, surely the players have to take their fair share of the blame once they cross that white line they are expected to perform or at the very least work hard for their team mates.
After witnessing every game, bar a couple, since the club began this was one which I can only call embarrassing. We witnessed some excruciating games during the last couple of seasons and this showing was down there with them.
The result does not lie. Carlton were faster, harder working and looked as if they wanted to win the game. In contrast, Gresley were poor, very poor to be honest and it’s a mystery how a performance that was witnessed tonight was so far below the standard we saw in the second half on Saturday.
Those faithful few who had bothered to make the trip to Nottingham must have been hoping for a second half revival in this game after trailing by three goals at the break but alas if anything the showing got worse.
Passes were going astray, players were being caught on the ball in dangerous positions rather than playing the simple ball out of defence and when Gresley launched the long hopeful ball up field the home defence soaked up the pressure like a sponge whereas Gresley’s defence was as porous as a colander with nearly every Carlton attack threatening a goal.
Norton had to shuffle his side with Kane Lee and Luke Morgan replacing Jamie Barrett (virus) and Dexter Morris-Clarke (knee).
Carlton looked a different side to the one that visited the Moat Ground recently and were soon pressing Gresley back and that pressure paid off on 11 minutes when a cross from the left was miss headed by a Gresley defender sending the ball into the six-yard box and Luke Smithson couldn’t miss slotting home from close in.
More pressure saw Connor Bartle rattle the woodwork on 20 minutes but 4 minutes later Carlton added the second goal when more lax defending didn’t clear the ball and Ben Hutchinson was on hand to strike home.
Gresley were struggling to get into any rhythm with every attempted attack fading out in the final third.
Carlton, in contrast, were causing Gresley problems and on 35 minutes a free kick from Hutchinson on the left was deftly headed home by Riece Bertram and Gresley were looking to be on the end of a heavy defeat.
Gresley did have a couple of half chances as the first half drew to a close. Lee had the only attempt on target with his header from Mark Branch’s corner being cleared off the line by Oliver Robinson. A free kick by Kieran O’Connell on the edge of the area was deflected just wide and away for a corner.
Gresley fared no better in the second half as they struggled to break through a stubborn home defence.
Callum Riddell, who had replaced the injured Lucas Harrison just before the break, went close but his well struck shot flew wide.
On 55 minutes Carlton added to Gresley’s woes by scoring goal number four. A corner from the left was fired towards goal at the far post but visiting keeper Jack Livesey made a good block only for Oliver Clark to poke home the rebound.
Gresley were rattled and could have gone even further behind but substitute Nial Davie could only head wide when unmarked in the area.
On 78 minutes Lee was on the end of a robust tackle in the area and needed treatment for an injured foot.
O’Connell tried his luck but fired wide before Lee succumbed to his injury and hobbled off the pitch and with all substitutes used Gresley had to play out the final five or so minutes with 10 men.
With four minutes remaining the Gresley defence were sliced in two again and Clark raced through to score number five.
The embarrassment could have been made even worse had substitute Sam Ilesanmi took his golden chance, but he blazed his shot over the bar from the edge of the six-yard box.
To rub the proverbial salt in the gaping Gresley wound, up until this game Carlton had only managed 5 goals from their first seven games but against Gresley they doubled their league tally in just this one game.
