“Quietly confident,” “shouldn’t be struggling,” “make sure it’s in our hand,” words from Central Midlands Alliance Premier South side, Teversal’s manager, Dave Turner, ahead of Saturday’s crunch game away to mid-table Arnold Town.

Turner, who took over a struggling Tevie side in mid-November last year, certainly had a mammoth task on his hands and, although they’ve not quite achieved safety, it’s still within the realms of possibility.

“We signed players from Step Six and Step Seven, players who know how to win ugly,” admitted Turner, who’s side are unbeaten in their last five outings.

“Doing that, alongside bringing in a few little things to the matchday running, increasing the standards at the club.

“Now though, we need to go out there, in the last three games, as we’ve been doing, taking it all one game at a time.

“Other teams, they are taking notice of us, and, although it’s not going to be easy, we need to make sure it’s in our hands.”

Admittedly, Turner’s baptism at Teversal was always going to be a tough one, especially with his former employers, runaway leaders South Normanton Athletic, amongst the opening throes of his tenure at the Tomlin Personnel Park.

Once the New Year rolled round though, and those winter blues were slowly shaken off, Tevie’s form began to change, and belief start to strengthen; defensively, they’ve tightened up impressively, with goalkeeper’s Oliver Winfield (from Rainworth Miners Welfare), and Adam Jablonski (from Pinxton).

Tevie captain, Ryan Ordidge, alongside the likes of Nathan Hadley and Joshua Parfitt, Scott Taylor and Joshua Radford, have all played a major part in the turn-around of fortunes, with special mention for teenagers Oliver Baines and Rocco Hardy.

“When I came here, they (Baines and Hardy) were so down and despondent,” explained Turner.

“They’re only teenagers, but they are a manager’s dream; they are both quality players with attitudes to match, and I can easily see them playing higher up as well, hopefully with Teversal.

“The backing from the club though, it’s been excellent, even though those first few months here were tougher than I thought they’d be, whilst playing players I’d never seen before.

“There’s been some big improvements though, so much so that the recent losses we’ve had, we’ve been in those games, and been really disappointed to lose them.”

Teversal’s last ten outings aligns with Turner’s thoughts about the club’s change since February, the club having won three and drawn four of those outings, including an unbeaten last five games.

Of those they’ve beaten Derby Singh Brothers (3-1), Mickleover RBL (4-0), and AFC Normanton (4-1), with their last two being 1-1 draws with Graham Street Prims and Holbrook Sports.

Those draws are games in which Turner would have rather won, but a point is a point, and the goals of Joshua Parfitt, signed from the leaders, he notching seven in nine outings, has gone a long way in helping their cause.

Now though, it’s down to their last three of the season; first up a trip to Eagle Valley, and mid-table hosts, Arnold Town, before welcoming Bakewell Town, and Wirksworth Ivanhoe, to close out the season.

This Teversal though, are a different side to that in which Arnold beat 5-0 at the start of the campaign; in-fact, of the sixteen-man squad that were pitted against Arnold back in mid-August, only three, Jack McWilliams, alongside Hardy and Baines, were in the sixteen that won handsomely at AFC Normanton at the end of March.

“A club like Teversal should never be struggling at the wrong end of the table,” concluded Turner, ahead of their trip to Arnold Town.

“Going to Arnold, we’re looking rather strong and player availability is high, so I’m expecting us to win.

“They’re a kind of Jekyll and Hyde side, and you don’t know which you’ll get, but I don’t think that, now, their best is better than ours.

“So yes, I’m quietly confident going into this one and hoping that we can do what we need to do.”

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*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @TeversalFC the club have improved since Dave Turner took over.