Perhaps the occasion was too big for FN Rangers . . . or perhaps they just ran out of steam in the end.
Whichever it is, coach Warwick Hector’s Rangers were rather disappointing against Cape Town Spurs in the Final of the Bayhill Premier Cup at the Athlone Stadium on Easter Monday – succumbing to a 1-4 defeat.
Similarly, Spurs’ Academy showed a much higher quality – and also showed why they are one of the best youth structures in the country.
Surprisingly, Rangers started like a house on fire but could not force a save from Spurs’ goalie.
It was Spurs who drew first blood when captain Denzel Du Plessis made no mistake from the penalty spot early on in the match.
Hector’s side did themselves very little favours when they missed a penalty which would have brought the score level midway through the first half. Success here could have altered the complex of the final completely.
Rangers were sloppy in possession at times allowing Spurs to counter-attack on numerous occasions.
Jernairho Brock doubled Spurs’ lead after halftime, while Jeandre Gaffoor put the game beyond Rangers’ reach with the third goal halfway through the second half.
Sergio Fransch managed to get Rangers on the board but this was nothing more than a consolation goal.
Fatigue crept in which allowed substitute Faiz Adams to add a fourth with a well-crafted team goal from the Parow-based outfit.
This is Spurs’ second title in three years, and made up for the disappointment last year when they were surprised by Grassy Park United.
Earlier, Young Bafana claimed their first title when they beat FC Porto 3-1 to win the Mid-Section Final, while Bayhill United won their successive trophy beating Shayamoya Academy 4-3 on penalties in the Plate Final.
