Irving Burgess popped up to score 11 minutes from time to rescue a point for Vasco in this scrappy encounter at PHC Stadium.

St. George's looked like they had done everything to make Herbie Bascome's first-half goal stand up, but unprofessional defending cost them when it mattered.

A quick clearance sprung Burgess on the left flank with the St. George's defence undermanned and caught square. Goalkeeper Troy Hall started to come for it then stopped, the moment's indecision costing him as Burgess' left-foot shot from 25 yards was perfectly placed beyond his dive and into the roof of the net.

Vasco were just about good enough to salvage a draw on a day when they looked anything but FA Cup finalists.

Without the suspended Corey Hill they lacked that attacking verve and until Burgess scored his league-leading eighth goal of the season and 10th overall, he was a non-entity.

St. George's made a bright start with forward Melvin Simmons particularly impressive on the ball.

But the east-enders had the first cause for concern in the ninth minute when Mark Ray's hard drive went untouched through the goal area.

Earl Richardson's head gave Vasco a reprieve in the 12th minute as Jerry Laws' back post header looked goal-bound.

Vasco 'keeper Keenan Tucker was all at sea on that corner from Bascome, so there was no surprise really when from the same left side of the field the midfielder scored directly in the 40th minute.

The goal was no less than the visitors deserved as Simmons had already spurned two chances when in good position.

St. George's should have gone two up five minutes into the second half when Simmons and Laws combined to dispossess Sinclair Gibbons. Laws advanced in space and shot poorly wide of Tucker's near post.

This was the best chance they would get in the half and the miss would ultimately come back to haunt them.

Vasco clawed their way back into the match in the 62nd minute with Dwight Basden beating Hall with a vicious left-foot volley on the end of a Ray corner. But Bascome was the man in the right place to clear the danger.

Play meandered for long periods with neither side stamping their authority although Vasco looked the more determined.

Then, out of nothing, the home side struck -- much to the anguish of St.

George's coach Neil Paynter -- and the finishing was of a high quality.

At the end, Richardson had a curling free kick saved by Hall then St. George's were in position to steal it. But Simmons shot tamely at Tucker from the top of the area when unmarked substitute Leroy Robinson was in a more dangerous position.

The point, despite so nearly being two, eased St. George's relegation fears and further confirmed Vasco's Jekyll and Hyde existence in league play.

Vasco: K.Tucker; E.Richardson, P.Towlson, D.Livingston, D.Stapley; S.Gibbons, M.Ray, W.Burgess; I.Burgess, A.Wolffe (B.Kirkpatrick, 52 mins), D.Basden.

St. George's: T.Hall; G.Foggo, P.Bailey, Q.Francis, A.Todd; C.Greaves, H.Bascome, M.Outerbridge (L.Robinson, 63 mins); D.Whitfield (D.Minors, 69 mins), M.Simmons, J.Laws.

Referee: Frank Drayton.

Men of the match: Paul Towlson (Vasco); Melvin Simmons (St. George's).