North Village won a hard-fought victory at Southampton Oval yesterday to leapfrog over Southampton Rangers in the Coca-Cola First Division.

It was a game of high drama, including two penalties and two red cards for North Village substitutes who had not even come on the field.

Rangers took an early lead with a freak goal against the run of play and then struggled to get into the match as Village got their passing game going and gradually took control.

After a quiet opening, the game burst into life in the 13th minute with a moment Village goalkeeper Nyon Steede would prefer to forget.

Rangers' Vic Ball played a hopeful long pass into the Village penalty area and Steede misjudged it as he came racing off his line to collect. The ball bounced over the goalkeeper's head leaving Rohaan Simons with the easy task of heading into the empty net to give Southampton the lead.

Nerves seemed to be getting to Steede as he failed to gather another cross three minutes later and again Simons was first to the loose ball, but this time the angle was too acute for him and he shot wide.

That was the last time Rangers threatened in the first half as Village piled on the pressure. Midfielder Neil Robinson was at the heart of their best moves and was unlucky not to find the net.

When hard-working forward Elliott Jennings teed up Robinson in the 18th minute, only a brilliant save by Rangers keeper Randy Darrell kept out his low 20-yard drive.

Elliott Jennings won a penalty for Village in the 37th minute when he lobbed the ball over Ryan Belboda and the big defender handled the ball. Robinson struck the spot kick well, but Darrell saved brilliantly, diving to his right.

Three minutes before half-time, referee Stuart Crockwell booked Village's Michael Hansey for a clumsy tackle. The Village bench were instantly up on their feet, venting their anger. Crockwell would have none of it and sent off two of the substitutes, Arthur Simons and Kevin Jennings.

In the 43rd minute, Village finally broke through with a superb breakaway goal, Jemeiko Jennings racing in to coolly slide home Devon Brangman's left-wing cross.

Rangers came back into the game briefly after the restart, with a header from substitute Kwame Tucker which brought a fine save out of Steede.

Then Steede could only get his fingertips to a 58th-minute corner and was grateful to see Ryan Spence head the ball clear off the line.

That seemed to stir Village and a prolonged period of pressure from the hour mark finally bore fruit in the 68th minute.

Robinson won a penalty when he latched onto a long ball in the Rangers area and was sandwiched between two defenders. This time Hansey took the spot kick and drilled it into the bottom left-hand corner to give Village the lead for the first time.

Rangers hit back with their best move of the match, when good work by Donnie Charles and Kwame Tucker created a great chance for Sheridan Ming, but he blazed over the bar from 10 yards out.

Southampton Rangers: R.Darrell, A.Tucker (N.Grant 74 mins), P.Bragman, R.Belboda, S.Simmons, D.Charles, C.Simmons, V.Ball (C.Darrell 59 mins), S.Ming, D.Tucker (K.Tucker 36 mins), R.Simons.

North Village: N.Steede, M.Hansey, R.Spence, D.Kofi, T.Samon, N.Robinson (A.Mahoney 88 mins), S.Goater, S.Bayles, E.Jennings, J.Jennings, D.Brangman (D.Jennings 64 mins).

Referee: Stewart Crockwell.

Men of the match: Randy Darrell (Rangers), Neil Robinson (Village).