Worksop Town won 2-1 at Hillsborough, with an Aleks Starcenko brace being the difference.
This loss for Hallam is just their third in 2025, with the other two coming in separate cup competitions.
The Countrymen were seen as big underdogs in this fixture, with the sides being two divisions apart in the pyramid.
Win for the Tigers means they are now the outright most successful side in this competition, winning it a record 15 times.
This is also Worksop’s second trophy this week, after beating Guiseley 2-1 in the play-off final to take them to the National League North, the sixth tier of English football.
Hallam made one change from their play-off final win against Beverley Town, with Janni Lipka replacing cup-tied Alfie Smith.
And in-form Jordan Burrow started on the bench for the Tigers, after scoring four in his last four, including both in Worksop’s previous game.
Hallam had the first good chance of the half when Brandon Bradbury ran through the middle and found Leon Howarth on his left, but his close-range effort was saved and out for a corner.
From the resulting corner, Worksop countered and had an opportunity for themselves down the left, eventually cutting inside but Hugo Warhurst was there to deal with it easily.
After 16 minutes, the Tigers took the lead. Charlie Winfield picked up the ball on the left and put in a cross that was too close to Warhurst; his punch clear fell straight to Starcenko who headed home.
On the 36th minute mark, Hallam had a chance to equalise when Daniel Pudil’s deep cross was punched away by Seb Malkowski straight to James Cadman, who awkwardly wrapped his boot around it and volleyed over an empty net.
Just before half-time, Danny South’s sliding challenge on the edge of the box gave the Tigers a free kick, but the resulting effort was untroubling for Warhurst, going straight over and keeping Worksop a goal up after the first 45.
In just the second minute after the restart, the Tigers had a chance to double their lead when South misjudged a header and Aaron Martin found himself one-on-one with Warhurst. The striker opted to play it across the box, but the ball was cleared, and the chance was thwarted.
Minutes later, Worksop had a second golden opportunity when Winfield’s cross found Liam Hughes in the box, but the striker couldn’t keep his effort down from very close range, instead seeing the ball go straight over an empty goal.
And a great save just before the hour mark kept Hallam in the game, with Warhurst getting low and parrying a clean volley from inside the box.
Despites heaps of pressure in the second half, Hallam managed to find an equaliser in the 66th minute. Cadman played it out to Brodie Litchfield on the left, who’s right-footed cross found top scorer Rio Allan in the box who tucked away for his 39th goal of the season.
With five minutes to go of regular time, Hallam had a chance to get a second when substitute James Playford played in Allan, but, with Danny Buttle free at the back post, Allan couldn’t take the ball in his stride, with the ball going out for a corner.
in the 89th minute, Worksop got their winner; Starcenko picked up the ball just inside the box and fired into the roof of the net for his second of the night, crowing Worksop Town the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup winners.
HALLAM XI: 1 Warhurst; 2 Brownell, 4 Sharman, 5 South (C), 18 Pudil; 6 Bradbury (81’ 16 Playford), 7 Lipka (92’ 19 Goodwin), 14 Litchfield; 10 Allan, 8 Cadman (74’ 3 Buttle), 11 Howarth (91’ 15 Ward)
Unused Subs: 13 Rainey
WORKSOP XI: 13 Malkowski; 3 Atherton, 5 Bencherif (C), 6 Wilde; 2 Hutchinson, 7 Hall (93’ 14 Grist), 4 Wedgbury, 8 Starcenko, 11 Winfield (74’ Redford); 10 Hughes, 9 Martin (74’ 12 Burrow)
Unused Subs: 13 Taylor*, 15 Leesley
Attendance: 2,614
Match Report – Lucas Daft
Photography – Ian Maneman @Ianthemaneman
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