Rangers Masters win Athletic Park thriller

Rangers Masters are the 2025 Knockout Cup champions after a thrilling 11-goal decider against Trojans Spartans at Athletic Park on Saturday.

The final score in a see-sawing game, played in strong north westerly conditions, was 6-5, the winner being scored in the final minutes.

Playing with the strong breeze at their backs, Spartans began strongly, striker Dave Koubek scoring from the penalty spot after just a couple of minutes, then adding a second five minutes later.

However, as they did all day, Rangers bounced back, their prolific striker Shane Evans scoring the first of his four goals after a quarter of an hour.

Using the wind to their advantage, Spartans threatened regularly as the half progressed, lively midfielder George Bond notching a brace with clinical finishing to give them a 4-1 advantage at the break.

Five minutes into the second spell Evans claimed his second to reduce the margin to two, but, when Liam Newman slotted home a rebound after a shot from Koubek was blocked, Spartans again led by three.

A Ben Burridge goal after half an hour, when he superbly chipped the Spartans keeper, kept Rangers in the contest then, when Evans grabbed his third seven minutes later, it was truly game on.

Eventually the weight of possession told and, with five minutes remaining, Evans slammed home a superb strike to level the scores.

With the officials beginning to check their timepieces as the final whistle and extra time loomed, the final act was played out, Ben Clarke seizing onto a through ball and guiding it into the Spartans’ net for the winner.

The Knockout Cup competition this season was contested by division two and three sides.