In an entertaining encounter, both sides finished with 10 men following the late dismissals of Nat Watson and Clee goalscorer Declan Howe following an altercation. But Howe’s 82nd minute strike looked to have earned the win for the visitors until Wells’s equaliser.

Tommy Brookbanks and Mark Harvey made three changes to the side which had lost at North Shields last time out. In came Khyle Sargent, Niall Davie and new signing Kyle Dixon. They replaced Jared Holmes, Ryan Tait and the injured Alex Howes.

The Owls came into the game third in the table and unbeaten against the Millers in six previous meetings. But it was Carlton who started the sharpest with Aaron O’Connor having the home side’s first effort that saw Tom Jackson in the Clee goal save comfortably.

Mikey Emery did well to save from Jack McMenemy as Cleethorpes responded but O’Connor should have put the Millers ahead moments later when he ran onto a lovely pass from Dixon only to be denied by Jackson.

Cleethorpes imposed themselves as the half progressed and Jack Moore-Billam saw a dangerous cross miss everyone in the Carlton penalty area, before Curtis Bateson put the ball into the net albeit he had been flagged offside.

Aaron Opoku lifted a shot over the bar after some fine link up play with Kyle Tomlin before the excellent Dan Brown did well to hook the ball away from Howe as the striker threatened to go through on goal.

Howe then sent over a peach of a cross from the right that was superbly dealt with by Lawrence Gorman under pressure from Bateson.

Cleethorpes finished the half the stronger and Jon Oglesby fired a free kick wide of target before another dangerous cross, this time from Will Annan, again missed everyone in the area.

With half time beckoning Carlton were desperately close to opening the scoring. O’Connor dispossessed Tim Lowe before playing the ball into the impressive Dixon. He moved it out to Gorman on the right whose cross was flicked by O’Connor into the path of Davie whose angled drive struck the post.

Carlton brought on Watson at half time and Carlton had an early second half opportunity. A Davie corner was cleared to Niall Hylton. His shot was returned to Opoku who headed to O’Connor with the latter’s shot flying just wide of the post.

Emery took a risk on 64 minutes, trying to take a Gorman back pass past McMenemy and was relieved when McMenemy’s interception sent the ball straight back into his hands.

The Millers replaced Sargent with Holmes and Opoku with Wells as they looked to win the game But with the game evenly poised it was the visitors who opened the scoring with just eight minutes remaining. Watson lost possession on the left of midfield. Cleethorpes whipped the ball over to Oglesby on their left wing. He cut into the area before pulling the ball back to Howe who steered it into the net beyond Emery.

Minutes later Carlton were awarded a free kick for a foul on Watson. A handbags melee followed which resulted in Watson and Howe being sent off, presumably for violent conduct.

The Millers pushed forward but Cleethorpes stood firm until the second minute of four minutes added time when Wells scored at the third attempt. O’Connor ran at the Clee defence before slipping the ball to Dixon. He found Wells whose first effort hit the post and came back to him. He looked certain to score but his second effort was blocked on the line, albeit it did look as if it had crossed the line before being cleared. Wells took no chances and reacted quickest to the loose ball, nonchalantly flicking it with the outside of his boot into the net to equalise.

There was still time for Carlton to force another corner with Martin Ball coming forward to try and secure the win, but Cleethorpes cleared and the game ended all-square.

Carlton Town: M Emery, L Gorman, N Hylton, M Ball, D Brown, K Sargent (J Holmes 70), K Tomlin (N Watson 46), K Dixon, A Opoku (B Wells 75), A O’Connor, N Davie. Unused substitutes: R Stainsby, R Tait

Goals: Wells 90+2; Declan Howe 82

Carlton Town Supporters Club MOTM – Dan Brown

Att: 140