Promotion and 72 goals for the impressive Cubs - the history of Worksop Town Reserves

Steve Jarvis continues his look back at the history of Worksop Town Reserves.
Football news.  (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images for Premier League)Football news.  (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images for Premier League)
Football news. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images for Premier League)

Stepping back another year to the 1995-1996 season we find the first XI playing the likes of Gretna and Atherton Laburnam Rovers in Division One of the Northern Premier League, and winning the Presidents Cup by beating Guiseley in a two-leg final.

The Reserves were in the bottom division of the Sheffield County Senior League, but looking to step up.

The Reserve team played no less than seven pre-season games, home and away against Staveley MW, two visits to Glapwell, visits to Thoresby Colliery and Mexborough Oakhouse while Woodsetts Sports and Kiveton Park both visited Sandy Lane.

Under the keen eye of Assistant Manager John Stokes, all were won bar one, a 0-1 defeat at Glapwell.

All of September’s League games were away, but two wins, 1-0 at Harworth and 4-3 at Abbeydale, along with 1-1 draws at both Rossington and Wickersley enabled the Cubs to finish the month unbeaten.

October brought just three matches along with 17 goals for the team. An 11-1 beating of Kiveton Park on Saturday 14 watched by 50 fans at Sandy Lane was followed up by a 4-0 away win at Avesta Sheffield and a 2-0 home success over Sheffield Centralians.

A rare mid-week match on Wednesday, November 1 at Sandy Lane saw promotion chasing Swallownest side The Wetherby beaten, the only goal of the game scored by Craig Wilson.

Seven days later, the visit of NCB Maltby MW to Sandy Lane for a County Senior League Cup tie under the lights drew 67 fans who saw Wilson again on target, scoring twice while Richard Ward made it 3-1.

The month was seen out with a 2-0 win at Clifton Rovers on Saturday 18 and a 3-0 home win over Elsecar Market Hotel watched by 57 fans on Saturday 25.

The first Saturday in December brought a second Round League Cup tie away to Premier Division Grimethorpe MW.

To their great credit the Worksop youngsters never looked to be two divisions lower than their hosts as they lost by the only goal of the game.

Penistone Church then held out for 0-0 and Harworth were beaten 4-2, both at Sandy Lane before a four week Christmas break.

The two middle Saturdays in January found the Cubs entertaining NCB Maltby MW and then Wickersley OB.

The Maltby side were beaten by 5-1 but the table topping Old Boys from Wickersley inflicted a 2-3 home defeat on the lads.

February started with an encouraging 6-3 romp at Kiveton Park but went downhill when Works team Avesta Sheffield won 2-0 at Sandy Lane and then a week later Sheffield Centralians held out for a 1-0 home win.

March brought something of a resurgence as an influx of new young scorers joined the fray resulting in a 3-2 win at Penistone, a 2-1 home win over Clifton Rovers, a 4-3 away win at Elsecar and a 2-1 scoreline away to Old Edwardians.

All single goal victories but evidence of the determination shown by an ever changing squad. Promotion was most definitely in sight.

A quick return game on Saturday April 6 th saw Old Edwardians concede three without scoring at Sandy Lane but a Wednesday evening visit to Maltby ended in a 0-1 defeat.

April 13 saw a somewhat strengthened team wallop Rossington 7-0. Watchers at Sandy Lane would have seen a certain Kenny Clark score two, though Tony Starkey grabbed a hat-trick.

A full fortnight later the lads pulled of a useful 0-0 draw at second placed The Wetherby and the curtain closed on the season on May 4 as Sheffield Abbeydale were beaten 3-1 at Sandy Lane to ensure third place behind Wickersley and The Wetherby and promotion to Division One.

The team scored 71 goals in 26 League games, conceding just 27.