Worksop Town sign off season of success by completing a double

Aleks Starcenko scored both goals in the final to make it back-to-back wins in the competition.

Worksop Town boss Craig Parry said: “I was slightly disappointed with the performance, maybe there was a bit of fatigue from Monday, but we weren’t our normal selves today in this game.

“I actually thought them scoring helped us out, as daft as it sounds, we couldn’t string three passes together and once they scored, it kicked us into gear.

“It was a tough game and credit goes to Hallam, they did well and I wish them all the best for the future.”

It was a late goal that won the final, with Starcenko finding the back of the net in the 89th minute in a great last game of the season for the midfielder, who scored 16 goals in the Northern Premier Division Premier League, helping them achieve second place in the division and promotion back to the National League North for the first time in 18 years.

Worksop took the lead in the 16th minute through a Starcenko header into the bottom corner of the Hallam net.

The tie then swung towards Hallam as they pushed and levelled the game in the 68th minute through Rio Allan, after a cross from Brodie Litchfield found the forward in the middle.

The game was even throughout and extra time nearing for both sides when Starcenko clinched the cup with a powerful shot into the roof of the net.

Tigers released two players on this week's retained list with Charlie Winfield and Rostyslav Yaremenko leaving while Luke Shiels has retired.

Deegan Atherton, Hamza Bencherif, Josh Wilde, Jay Rollins, Liam Hughes, Vaughan Redford, Aaron Martin, Dan Bramall, Tommy Taylor, Mason O'Malley, and Joe Leesley are all under contract already while Sam Wedgbury and Jordan Burrow have signed new deals and Luke Hall, Regan Hutchinson and Seb Malkowski have been offered new ones while an option on an extra year has been activated on Aleks Starcenko.

Worksop, Bedford Town, AFC Fylde, relegated from the National League’s top flight, plus fellow promoted sides AFC Telford United, Macclesfield FC, and Merthyr Town will now look forward to a season of National League North football.

The full list of sides for next season reads: AFC Fylde, AFC Telford United, Alfreton Town, Bedford Town, Buxton, Chorley, Curzon Ashton, Darlington, Hereford, Kidderminster Harriers, King’s Lynn Town, Leamington, Macclesfield, Marine, Merthyr Town, Oxford Town, Peterborough Sports, Radcliffe, Scarborough Athletic, South Shields, Southport, Spennymoor Town, Worksop Town and Scunthorpe United.