I found a game on Tuesday night which was my last of this season, 2025/26, SJR Worksop v Teversal. Some might say really, but to me a true reflection of football in the 11th tier of English football. I had been there before, it survives as a sports club recreation ground for football and cricket and has not been sold to put up a warehouse or housing.
You can luckily park next door in Asda for three hours free and a walkway has been made through the hedge to get to the ground. Not aware of this I parked in the wrong part and took the long way round.
Many clubs at this level have fallen behind in their fixtures due the the heavy rains and postponements we had around the start of the year. Some have not finished all of their games within the time agreed and have forfeited the points. This game was on even though it had no bearing on the league, with the teams being placed seventh and eight in the league. With no lights at the venue the kick off was at 7pm and on the Teversal social media they suggested it might start early because of the light.
This ground is open one side to the cricket pitch and surrounded by fencing on the other sides. There are two small areas under cover one of which has some banking with paving slabs to sit on. An umbrella was at hand in case the very dark clouds, which made it very gloomy, decided to drop their rain. It was also a chilly 8 degrees.
The pitch slopes slightly to one corner and the grass cover was recovering well in the spring weather.
These two clubs had played the previous Saturday where SJR had won 3 nil.
As I have said on a previous visit the best way to explain the history of the club is to show a board that is displayed by one of the corner flags. The name St Josephs Rockware indicates the previous background to the club having been born out of St Joseph’s’ Catholic Church and the Rockware sports club. They have developed into a multi age and sex club with their women’s team playing in the English 5th tier of womens football.
Teversal have been going since 1905 and had the words Miners Welfare in the name for many years, reflecting the two local pits of Teversal and Silverhill. The miners influence, but not the heritage, ended in 1989 when the local district council took over the complex and still run it today. They maintained a period of stay in the Northern Counties East League despite a few ups and downs but were relegated to the Central Midlands League.
SJR Worksop 3 Teversal FC
Tuesday 5th May 2026, 19.00 pm kick off
Central Midlands league-Premier North Division
SJR Worksop, Rockware Glass Sports and Social Club, Sandy Lane’ Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
SJR; Blue and Black vertical striped shirts with all blue backs and black shorts, goalkeeper in grey top and black shorts.
Teversal; Red and black vertical shirts with all red back and white shorts, goalkeeper in all green.
Despite this game having little significance in the league at this stage of the season both teams seemed up for it with the home team dominating in mid field in the early stages. SJR lifted the gloom first when Joe Bean headed in a beautifully accurate cross from the right. Playing on the left he continued to harass the Teversal defence with his fast pace and tricky footwork. However it was Joshua Parfitt for Teversal who levelled the scores with three minutes remaining until half time when he took the ball down from mid air and turned to hit the ball across the goalkeeper.
The half time whistle went and the referee, the other officials and the Teversal players initially remained on the pitch expecting a quick turn round to beat the darkening skies but the SJR team marched off to the dressing room. To make thing more difficult in the fading light the games restart was held up by a loose dog. Once the game was underway Teversal took full command and scored after 8 minutes when a cross from the right was hooked over the home keeper by Alex Ferraday. Two minutes later Teversal made it three when Joshua Parfitt scored his second after making space for himself.
Teversal looked comfortable at this point but Joe Bean continued to cause problems and finally with 74 minutes gone he collected the ball on the edge of the centre circle and ran free to round the goalkeeper to get SJR back in the game. Again, only eight minutes later, he was terrorising the Teverwal defence when he took the ball to the dead ball line and cut it back for Tom Mullen to roll it along the ground into the net for the equaliser.
Expecting the home side to push on for the winner, it was Teversal who pushed hardest at the end and nearly avenged their defeat of the previous weekend. A quick retreat from the ground to the car to warm up and a reflection that even end of season non matches can be enjoyable. Well done to both teams.
No chips but a good, strong, hot coffee, it was needed.
payonthegate 