Headstone Athletic clinched the Challenge Cup for the second time in five seasons after a narrow 2-1 win over Cassiobury Rangers, helping to make up for losing out in the title race and the final of the Presidents Cup.

Cassiobury made the better start to Sunday’s final at Kings Langley but their opponents went in front with their first attack of the game after four minutes when Wesley Taylor scored from the edge of the box.

Rangers hit back after 19 minutes after when Neal Cronin tucked away a penalty after referee Steve Dignum had adjudged the scorer had been pulled back in the area as he sot.

The equaliser gave Rangers belief and they had much the better of the game but just after the half-hour mark came the turning point.

Ben Robson raced through to break the offside trap and seemed to be taken out by Headstone keeper Daryl Richardson on the edge of the box. The majority of the crowd expected a sending off, or least a free-kick, but the referee booked Robson for simulation.

Headstone skipper Steve Buckland restored his team’s lead eight minuites into the second half when he burst into the Cassiobury area and fired past Grant Blomfield.

Rangers stepped up their game but found it diffcult to break through the well organised defence. Despite coming under some heavy late pressure, Athletic held on to win.

Headstone Atheltic: Richardson, Taylor (Bimble 52), Shields, Buckland, Calaby, Roberts, Higgs (Macdonald 87), Gough, Kurup (Ball 71), Flaherty, Devine. Not used: Price and Wenn.

Cassiobury Rangers: Blomfield, Moore, Imlach, Davis, Zaraiah (Coombes 87), Davies, Cairns, Mortimer, B Robson, Henley (J Robson 71), Cronin. Not used: Pollard, Laws and Borlase.