Skipper strikes late to snatch a point for Teversal

Skipper Kris Witcombe grabbed a deserved injury time equaliser as Teversal pulled a 1-1 home Toolsport NCEL Division draw out of the fire against Worsborough Bridge Athletic.
Kris Witcombe equalisers for TeversalKris Witcombe equalisers for Teversal
Kris Witcombe equalisers for Teversal

Worsbrough arrived at Carnarvon Street after some impressive results including beating both promotion favourites Shaw Lane and Shirebrook Town in recent weeks, hoping to maintain their own promotion push.

With Teversal in a period of flux going through the process of finding a new management team, a betting man would have put their stake on an away win.

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The Tevie Boys picked themselves up from their shocking performance a week earlier on hearing the news that their management team had left, with a spirited performance in a 3-2 League Cup defeat at AFC Emley on Tuesday night, and on Saturday produced another creditable performance that earned them a well-deserved point.

It was the visitors who started brightly, dominating the middle of the park whilst the Tevie Boys looked out of shape as Scully, Wright and Broadbent were controlling proceedings.

So when the visitors took the lead after only six minutes it was no surprise.

A corner was needlessly conceded after giving possession away in midfield and, when it was cleared, a far post cross found Liam McFadyen to head home.

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Ten minutes later Josh Wright hit a thunderous 20 yard free kick that flew past everyone before smashing against the bar and down to bounce off the ground at such a force that it cleared Broadbent on the edge of the six yard box as he tried to guide it home.

Copping them went on a mazy run into the Teversal penalty area before finding Brooks alert to race off his line to make a superb block with his legs.

The Tevie boys moved a few personnel around and started to have their share of the play with Oxley in the visitors’ goal having to be alert, twice quick off his line, firstly to deny Robinson in an heavy challenge between them and then similarly to deny Pursglove.

After a couple of routine saves from Gregory, Tobin and Dave Cockerill, he ensured he played his part in the visitors taking a well-deserved lead for the early dominance they enforced.

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Credit to the interim management team for a half-time team talk that clearly saw an improved performance to put the pressure on the confident visitors.

The players must also be praised for making the necessary changes that saw them have the better of the early exchanges in a reverse of the first half.

A source of the success came through the wide areas with both Robinson and Dennis having some success even though the final ball wasn’t enough to break down a resilient Worsbrough defence that allowed them to be a threat on the break.

Both sides created opportunities and when the rearguards were breached both Brooks in the Teversal goal and the Worsbrough custodian Oxley looked well assured in their duties.

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The longer the game went on, the more likely it looked like Worsbrough would hold on, but the spirit and determination the Tevie Boys showed was enough to warrant the reward of something out of the game, even though it started to look unlikely.

But with the home side pushing and the game going in to three minutes of added-on time, the visitors conceded a number of corners.

The final one came in from Colin Cockerill at pace into the six yard box with a cluster of players, including the visitors’ keeper, entering into an aerial challenge to win the ball, which dropped behind Dave Cockerill who turned to fire an effort that was blocked.

But home skipper Kris Witcombe then reacted the quickest to force the ball home to level the scores at 1-1.

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The delight was clear to be seen as the home side deserved a share of the spoils in an entertaining game.

Teversal’s next game is tonight (Tuesday) when Calverton Miners Welfare visit Carnarvon Street in the Notts Senior Cup First Round.

Then on Saturday the Tevie Boys travel to face Louth Town for a 3pm kick-off in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Division One.