Northern Premier League Midland Division Saturday 27 September 2025
At the game’s start, the Mikes had played nine League games, Carlton five – reflective of different levels of success so far in F.A. competitions. A shapeless first quarter of an hour saw little to report, though visiting winger Niall Hilton was already showing why he ended up as Man of the Match in the encounter’s Non-League Paper write up. The game’s first corner, just before the quarter hour, put the Millers ahead, the unmarked Niall Davie heading home at the far post. There seemed to be protests that Jonathan Brown was baulked unfairly but referee Hodson decided otherwise. The Mikes were quick to respond, equalising only six minutes later, a Freddie Cockerell header from a delicate Kaireice Cunningham cross finishing off an excellent three man move down the left.
Three minutes later, Boldmere had their first corner. As they prepared for it, custodian Jonathan Brown (not one to be tied to his goal line) was having a drink next to the dugout! An intense contest saw Carlton lose two players to injury within four minutes’ playing time, once the half hour had gone. Poor Daniel Brown, their first injury, staggered off minus a tooth! By now, our opponents were back in front. A throw in near the corner flag led to the ball skidding across the home goal mouth, somehow eluding Brown, Christoforou and Gough giving Kieren Watson to tap into the empty net at the far post. It took a reflex save from Felix Annan to prevent Harry Wakefield levelling the account, so half time arrived with the score 1-2.
Carlton full back Liam Bateman must have changed his shirt in the interval: he reappeared as number 21! An untidy interlude took us up to the hour – after which that man Hilton turned on the magic to double his team’s lead. Managing to get past Kaireice Cunningham, he dribbled round a further two defenders inside the penalty area before hitting the net from five yards.
Carlton were covering effectively whenever Boldmere showed, and as the last half hour unfolded, were increasingly on the front foot. On no less than four occasions, Brown earned his corn by saving with his legs, once opposing forwards were clearly through on goal. The Mikes were, by now, bringing on attacking substitutes, in hopes of pulling a goal back: indeed, with the ninety minutes just turned, Nathan Oyemade beat his man on the left, crossed the ball…and somehow evaded Harry Wakefield in the six-yard box.
Fortunately, all but one of the teams below the Mikes lost on the day, so they remain clear of the relegation places; but they’re going to have to pick up points from teams of Carlton’s quality, if things are going to stay that way.
Boldmere St Michaels: Jonathan Brown; Ben George; Aris Christophorou; Nathan Gough; Daniel O’Callaghan; Connor Armstrong (Nathan Oyemade 77); Frankie Ealing (Lewis Allison 69); Charlie Manners (Red Simmons 69); Freddie Cockerell (Kory Burke 65); Harry Wakefield; Kaireice Cunningham (Kai Bilton 65).
Carlton Town: Felix Annan; Liam Bateman; Niall Davie; Daniel Brown (Shea Thompson-Harris 30); Dean Freeman (Ewan Robson 33); Alex Howes; Lamin Manneh; Greg Tempest; Kieren Watson (Liam Moran 62); Oliver Clark (Lewis Durow 83); Niall Hilton. Sub. not used: Neo Saunders.