Carlton make their shortest trip of the season on Boxing Day to Greenwich Avenue as the Millers take on Basford United.
Relegated from the Northern Prem last season, the Ambers have made decent progress in their attempts to get back up at the first time of asking. They are in fourth spot with a security net of five points inside the play off positions. Unbeaten in the last eight in a run which saw them collect wins against Lichfield, Coleshill and Corby, Basford are in good form but with four of those games being draws the home side will be looking to turn more games into three points as they go into the second half of the season. They did earn a point last weekend against Sutton Coldfield, having been 2-0 down that points to a resilience within the side. A battling 0-0 against AFC Rushden & Diamonds playing with 10 men for over an hour also shows what this side are made of.
Carlton beat Rugby Town last weekend which was their sixth win in succession. The Millers are ten points clear at the top of the table but this game is the start of a critical run of games heading into January so no time for complacency.
The last time these two met was in the County Cup a couple of seasons ago and Basford won 2-0 at a canter. It’s a festive fixture, a local derby and one with many permutations for how the rest of the campaign could play out.