Ripon City first team played there eighth league game of the season against a new look Carlton team who fielded a strong sixteen man squad, with there centre forward Turner on eight goals already. Coming into the game Carlton had recorded some decent results laying in fourth position they had already beaten last years Champions Bardsey two nil so before the game the players knew it wasn’t going to be easy and they put in another notable team performance. With a strong wind blowing in their faces Ripon found that they were up against it in the early encounters with Carlton creating the first openings, however on 20 minutes it should have been Ripon taking the lead as Duncan Terry played a diagonal ball into the box which was missed by the Carlton defender and ran into the path of James Charlesworth with only the keeper to beat he hit his shot over the bar.

It was a tight game with Ripon passing the ball well and producing some decent crosses from the flanks with both fullbacks pushing forward to make up the numbers, but Carlton always looked dangerous going forward and on the half hour mark when Ripon tried to clear there lines the ball deflected off the back of City’s Tim Edney heels and what seemed like an age, trickled into the corner of the net. It was important that City got one back before the break and they did with another wonder strike from Duncan Terry from 25 yards drilled home after the Carlton keeper had punched clear.

After the break Luke Robinson was introduced to the game replacing Charlesworth and instantly made his presence felt winning a number of headers. With Robinson and Baldwin leading the line really well and defending from the front, they really pressured the Carlton defence and on 55 minutes the ball was played forward by Allie Wilson and Robinson used his pace to get behind the Carlton back four and finished well for City to take the lead. For the remainder of the game Carlton pushed forward to try for the equaliser however City stood firm and with Mason and Edney in great form again for City at the back and Simpson and Wilson in midfield winning their personal battles it wasn’t made easy for them. Mortimer was introduced for Freeman who had played an impressive game with 10 minutes on the clock, and with his fresh legs linked well with Forster on the right producing some late openings for City to increase the lead. The game ended two one to city leaving them on 13 points and in joint sixth spot with Carlton.

There were a number of candidates for the man of the match but the deserved vote went to James Mason.