The Scholars 11th win in the last 14 games took the lead inside the 20th minute. Richard Teesdale played a pass into the feet of Theo Robinson who got a cross into the danger area which fell to leading goalscorer Nick Wellecomme. Wellecomme took a touch to wrong foot the defender and create some space before smashing the ball beyond Martin Kearney.

The home side weren’t as fluent as they had been in recent matches but almost doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. In-form front man Paul Sullivan carved open the Nottinghamshire side’s defence and Kearney could only stand and watch as Sullivan’s effort rattled the crossbar.
Chasetown started the second half in the ascendancy and were narrowly caught offside twice on through balls from midfield as they looked for the decisive second goal.

Eventually, Sullivan did beat the offside trap and, with a great chance to score, chose to unselfishly set up an unmarked Wellecomme, only to over hit the ball and the chance was spurned.

Kearney saved an outstretched effort from Wellecomme from Simon Brown’s pass and it seemed only a matter of time before the floodgates would open.

The breakthrough second goal came in the 64th minute. Paul Sullivan broke forward and undeterred by the earlier miss, the youngster advanced on Kearney, out-witted the Carlton keeper with a composed finish inside the keeper’s right hand post.

Carlton had not threatened Ryan Price all game so it was no surprise when Chasetown added further goals inside the final ten minutes. Nine minutes from time, Chasetown’s best goal of the game came when Brown fed Chris Slater inside the area and he helped it onto Andy Westwood who drove a low shot across the keeper and into the far corner.

In the last minute, Danny Bragoli smashed a quick free-kick goalwards and before Carlton could even settle their defence, Captain Richard Teesdale was still advancing towards goal and diverted the ball via a deft header, totally wrong-footing Kearney.

There was still time for Chasetown to further boost their goal difference when substitute Gary Hay burst into the penalty area only to be tripped by Grant Brindley. Referee Mr Postin seemed to blow the whistle for the spot kick a considerable while after Hay had rounded the keeper and slotted into an unguarded net.

While some fans called for Hay to take the penalty to make up for the ‘goal’ he had ruled out, Brown assumed normal responsibility for the kick and thundered an unstoppable penalty into the roof of the Carlton net in the very last kick of the game.

Chasetown: Price, Farmer, Jackson, Slater, Tesfa Robinson, Teesdale, Westwood, Bragoli, Wellecomme (Hay, 76 mins), Sullivan (Gould, 87 mins), Theo Robinson (Brown, 59 mins)

Other subs: Downes, Kisiel (not used)