The Balance

Carlton Town  5  Gresley  0

Northern Premier League – Division One East

The balance of power in Nottinghamshire non-league football has swung significantly over the past decade.

The top non-league club in the county is Basford United, followed by Carlton Town and then AFC Mansfield. To put that into some kind of perspective, it wasn’t too long ago that Basford were a Nottinghamshire Senior League side, Carlton, while under the previous name of Sneinton were also in that competition, while AFC Mansfield haven’t been formed that long!

The previous big players, namely Worksop Town, Eastwood Town, Arnold Town and Hucknall Town, are at Step’s 5, 6 and 7, their demise due to a variety of factors, cash being a significant one.

But let’s focus on Carlton Town, a club I first saw play back in 2003 at their old ground, which sat right next to where the current ground sits on Stoke Lane. It was a pre-season friendly against Holbrook Miners Welfare, and at the time plans were in place to run the new Colwick Loop Road right through the ground, which would mean the club would have to move slightly to the West at a virtual right angle to where they played. They already owned the land and had a pitch in place, so it was deemed to be one of the simpler ground moves in the grand scheme of things.

The move took place in the 2006-07 and I saw what I think was the first home game under lights when they lost 1-0 to Hallam. Much debate amongst the travelling fraternity concerned pitch overlaps, you see that’s quite a big thing as any slight overlap of pitches means it isn’t a new ground.

Spurs are currently featuring in such debate, but you only have to go on the Google Earth timeline to work it out, and besides, how anyone can suggest the Tottenham ground is not a new stadium is talking cobblers .

Digression aside, the new home was indeed a new ground, and it coincided with the rise of a club that as I have said, were once called Sneinton and competed in the lower division of the Notts Senior League. They moved up to the top flight of the NSL and then made the jump into the Central Midlands League, winning the Supreme Division in 2002-03 season.

It only took two seasons of Northern Counties East League football before the First Division title was won, and then the following season a third place in the Premier Division meant promotion to the Northern Premier League thanks to some restructuring.

All of this took place under the Chairmanship of Mick Garton and the shrewd management of Tommy Brookbanks, two men who have been fundamental to the rise of a club that still to this day struggles to draw larger crowds to Stoke Lane despite the significant progress that has been made.

The club achieved a best place of runners up in Division One South in 2011-12, losing to Leek Town on penalties in the play-offs, this of course came after a play-off defeat to a Jamie Vardy inspired Stocksbridge Park Steel in the 2008-09. An era that was undoubtedly the best in the clubs history, with the County Senior Cup finding its way into the trophy cabinet on more than one occasion.

Recent years have been a little lean on the pitch, Brookbanks moved on, and further managers have come and gone, but the club remains at Step 4 despite the last four years finishing in the bottom four consistently.

On a night when Nottingham Forest were at home to Stoke City, it perhaps wasn’t the smartest move to drive right past the City Ground en route to Stoke Lane, but anyway, it was achieved without too much discomfort and soon the A612 was negotiated and the car park found with ease.

The ground hasn’t changed much over the years, once through the turnstiles, the tea bar and dressing rooms are to the left, with an area of covering overhanging at the front. To the right is the clubhouse, with a further building beyond it that looks like its being converted into possibly an academic facility.

The only other area of cover at the ground sits behind the South goal and that is a small block of Atcost style seats, behind which is a floodlit all weather court.

As for the game, it was something of a procession. In front of 106 spectators, Luke Smithson gave the hosts a tenth minute lead, while Ben Hutchinson doubled it in the 24^th minute. It was 3-0 by half time when Riece Bartram found the net in the 36^th minute.

Oliver Clark made it 4-0 ten minutes into the second period and then as the game moved into the final five minutes, the same player made it 5-0. It was a comprehensive victory and a very good performance from Carlton who’s pace and trickery was just too much for a very lacklustre Gresley outfit.

It was Carlton’s first home win of the season and moved them towards the mid-table places, while Gresley’s poor away form continues. I’m sure Carlton would accept mid-table from this season, it would give them something to build on, and with some impressive looking youngsters in the side, they’ve certainly got the makings of a good side.

The balance of power will undoubtedly shift again in Nottinghamshire at some point in the future, Carlton Town will be hoping that they can remain a consistent in what seems to be a very changing football World.