Three points for Dynamo
EVOSTIK PREMIER LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH CARLTON TOWN 0 LOUGHBOROUGH DYNAMO 2 LOUGHBOROUGH Dynamo came away from Carlton Town with all three points after a 2-0 win in their Evo-Stik League encounter.
The game was the Paul Shelton Memorial Match. Paul was with Carlton Town for 40 years, many as the club secretary, and sadly passed away suddenly a few weeks ago. Events on the afternoon recognised Paul’s contribution both to Carlton Town and to football.
The opening stages were very much a midfield affair, the first goalmouth activity not arriving until the ninth minute when Carlton front man Jordan Wilson sliced well wide from a good position. Three minutes later Josh Riley found Karl Demidh. The Dynamo forward was rushed into his shot, Carlton goalkeeper Jack Steggles blocking his shot with his legs.
The 15th minute saw goalmouth activity at the visitor’s end of the pitch, Dynamo goalkeeper Charlie Taylor doing well to hold Eddie Schoenecker’s low swerving shot.
Dynamo were next to threaten near goal, and indeed took the lead. In the 19th minute a long ball out of the Dyna- mo defence found Demidh, whose pass found Tolani Omotola on the right side of the Carlton defence. Dynamo’s number 11 cut in and placed a superb curving shot well clear of Steggles.
In the 24th minute a good move involving Luke Thorogood, Thorpe and Demidh led to Thorpe’s low right foot shot going across the home goal and just wide.
Carlton were dealt a further blow in the 28th minute when Riece Bertram went in on Demidh with a high tackle, referee David Jones issuing a straight red card and sent off the home number eight.
Dynamo had been the better side since the opening goal, and tried to assert their numerical advantage on the pitch on the run up to half time. Demidh’s threatening centre in the 33rd minute eluded any Dynamo player, and a minute later a good run by right back Thorogood ended with a shot high and wide. This was quickly followed by Steggles racing out of his area to beat Demidh to a through ball.
In the closing stage of the half Carlton’s captain Kieran Walker saw his low free kick well held by Taylor, before Steggles saved from Demidh with is outstretched left foot.
Dynamo took the game to Carlton after the restart. Riley received the ball in a good position in the 50th minute, his shot going well over. Carlton’s Daniel Gordon tried his luck with a direct free kick some way out of the Dynamo goal in the 57th minute, but this failed to worry Taylor.
The 64th minute saw a Carlton free kick delivered deep into the Dynamo penalty area leading to a scramble for the ball before a foul on Dynamo left back Louis Keena eased the pressure. Thorpe swiftly followed this by getting on to the end of a through ball, but his powerful shot found the side netting.
Demidh challenged Steggles with a low shot after a good solo run, cutting in from the Dynamo right, but his shot went straight at the home goalkeeper. Taylor was then called into action, holding a low swerving shot from Kaylum Mitchell.
In the 74th minute a swift Dynamo break saw Riley’s shot blocked for a corner which was cleared, but another corner two minutes later saw Dynamo double their lead. Keenan’s inswinging corner was met by Dynamo centre back Jack Andrews, his glancing header beating Steggles.
Carlton tried to reduce their arrears within 60 seconds, Taylor making a good save from William Mellors-Blair. A good Dynamo move saw Riley’s low centre go across the face of the Carlton goal with no takers from the visitors.
As the match entered four minutes of added time, Carlton strove to get on the scoresheet. First Taylor did well to hold onto a high centre from the Dynamo right, followed by Carlton substitute Wilfred Gnahore driving a low shot after a good solo run, Taylor holding his shot.
This was the final action of a deserved win for Dynamo, the display very much a team effort, taking Dynamo to eighth place in the Evo-Stik League Division One South with 25 points, a point off the play-off places.