In some interesting scheduling to say the least, the Carlton thirds returned to Blenheim to face the Barbados Transport Board in the penultimate game of the season. With a depleted squad the thirds added some experience to their ranks with Spencer Hutchinson and Derek Scutt being drafted in.

After a lively warm up of wuk up on the ball, the Carlton team lined up against a physical transport board team, and as expected the first half began aggressively with Jamar "Sharkey" Cottle taking a bite out of the opposition striker, with a tackle which has become synonymous with the third’s captain.

Two games in two days began to show as Carlton started rather slowly before the transport board took advantage of a mix-up at the back between the keeper Dillon Clarke and Paige Bailey  to open the scoring. With the opposition playing with only one striker up front Carlton began to push up, however with the ‘high’ standard of refereeing we have come to expect in the third division the striker camped in the Carlton half only to be rewarded with his ‘brilliant’ positioning to race in on goal and double the lead. 

The game began to bubble over, with the referee receiving some ‘choice words’ from all quarters before a Jet Lee challenge on Jamar "Sharkey" Cottle, received only a mere yellow card. Daniel Hatch rewarded with his second start in two days, was also suffering from the referees inability to well, referee, being thrown around like a rag doll on the left wing, prompting the  question, “Does Daniel suffer from nose bleeds?”. With Carlton all over the shop, another defensive mix up allowed the easiest of tap ins for Haggat Hall from a corner the Carlton defense failed to deal with. As the half came to an end ‘management’ and Collet were nominated for Oscars after two great pieces of acting, inclusive of sound affects.

After an elaborate team –talk from the coach and some tactical wizardry, Carlton came out firing on all cylinders in the second half looking to repeat the Liverpool Champions league feat of 2005. The masters Derek and Spencer came to the party with Bostic pulling the strings in midfield as Carlton started applying serious pressure on the opposition goal. Jesse ‘the dibbler’ Turton showed his class by putting Carlton on the board, before a stroke of genius by Bostic riled up an opposition player subsequently getting him sent off by what to many was just a case of handbags.

With Carlton in the ascendency some good work on the right by ‘management’ resulted in a stellar cross from Bostic which was hammered into the roof of the net by the opposition defender. Carlton began to throw everything and the kitchen sink at the Haggat Hall goal, with little help from a toothless geriatric who apparently was the ref, having to survive a refereeing call from the ages as the Carlton keeper was penalized for holding onto the ball for too long.

Things were really boiling over and after a constant barrage at the inept joker in the middle, Daniel Hatch saw red for being mistaken as the mouthy Sean Collet who was really making his feelings known to ref, after zinging a sweet free kick just past the post deflected from a closely positioned wall.

As things came to an end the spirited fight back fell just short as Charles King scooped over  in the dying seconds, and as the crowd called to file a complaint against the ref, the thirds graciously left the field in a respectful manner, feeling ‘robbed’ of at least a deserved draw.