Westcarr roles back the years as Sherwood Colliery enjoy big opening win
Sherwood Colliery kicked off their 2025/26 United Counties League Premier Division North campaign in ruthless fashion with a dominant 5-1 away victory at Gresley Rovers during the league’s Groundhopper Weekend.
The action began after a delayed kick-off, but Sherwood wasted no time asserting themselves. The breakthrough came in the 13th minute when Jacob Pearce was brought down in the box. Craig Westcarr stepped up and confidently converted the penalty to make it 1-0.
Just over 10 minutes later, history repeated itself—Pearce again fouled, Westcarr again from the spot, same result. Sherwood doubled their lead in the 27th minute with their second penalty of the afternoon.
Despite a promising Gresley free-kick that rattled the bar moments earlier, Sherwood extended their advantage on 41 minutes. Westcarr completed his hat-trick with a clinical finish into the far corner from the edge of the box, making it 3-0 before the break.
After the restart, Gresley pulled one back through Moore in the 56th minute, momentarily sparking hopes of a comeback. However, Sherwood responded almost instantly. Pearce once again turned provider, playing in Westcarr, who rounded the keeper and slotted home his fourth of the day on the hour mark.
Jacob Pearce capped off a fantastic performance in the 90th minute with a well-taken goal of his own, finishing off a memorable afternoon for the visitors. His efforts, including two assists and a goal, complimented Westcarr’s four-goal haul.