Crookham Rovers under-23s lifted the Aldershot & District Football League’s Eric Perrin Trophy in thrilling fashion, overcoming Simply Soccer Spartans from Basingstoke on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Fleet Town FC's stadium.

The match got off to a strong start for Rovers, who opened the scoring midway through the first half. Zach Hansell found the net after latching onto a well-weighted through ball from Harry Barber. However, their lead was short-lived, as a defensive lapse allowed the Spartans to equalise.

Rovers regained the advantage before half-time, thanks to a composed finish from distance by Barber himself, after being played in by an incisive pass from Jake Bailey.

The second half saw the Spartans pile on the pressure, playing down the slope, and they eventually drew level with a scrappy goal from close range. Crookham Rovers had a golden opportunity to restore their lead when Hansell was brought down in the box, but the resulting penalty was saved as the Spartans’ goalkeeper dived to his right.

With the match level at 2-2 after 90 minutes, the trophy was decided by penalties. The shoot-out began poorly for Rovers, missing their first two attempts, while Spartans converted both theirs, taking a commanding 2-0 lead. However, the momentum swung when Kyle Duffin scored coolly from the spot and Rovers’ goalkeeper Callum Walsh pulled off a vital save.

Cameron Corlett kept Rovers’ comeback alive with a confident finish, and Walsh repeated his heroics with another save to level the shoot-out. Spartans then missed their final penalty, ballooning it over the bar, leaving the reliable Mikey Gyuzelev to seal the win. He did so emphatically, smashing his effort into the roof of the net to win the shoot-out 3-2 and complete a dramatic turnaround.

The final whistle sparked jubilant celebrations as Thomas King, the Crookham Rovers under-23s’ captain, lifted the cup in front of more than 100 spectators.

Head coach Andrew Barber from Crondall hailed his team’s resilience.

“The character the lads showed was immense,” he said.

“To come from two goals down in the shoot-out, under that kind of pressure, speaks volumes about their spirit and belief. Every one of them played their part, and I couldn’t be prouder.

“The team’s relentlessness and never-say-die attitude have been an important part of this season’s campaign, which saw us clinch a third-place league finish in our first season in the Aldershot & District Football League.”

Suzanne Swan, under-23s development officer for the Aldershot & District Football League, said: “The quality and thrilling finish to this historic cup competition, which was played with intensity and quality from the first game, really brings home why this division matters.

“It’s more than just a competition, it’s a crucial bridge and male pathway between youth and adult football.

“This age group often slips through the net once traditional youth teams end, and too many stop playing altogether.

“The under-23 division gives them somewhere to go, to keep developing, to stay part of the game.

“The dramatic cup final, that went down to the wire, provided a fitting end to the season and confirms that when you give young players the right environment, they rise to it.”

The Eric Perrin Salver is named after Eric Perrin, who was, for many years, the secretary, then chairman, and finally president, of the Aldershot & District Football League.