Southampton Rangers 2 Vasco 1

Southampton Rangers rode out numerous periods of pressure to close out the season with a tense home victory over Vasco at Southampton Oval yesterday.

Rangers took an early advantage when skipper Dante Brangman slotted home from the spot after Ryan McDowell was judged to have handled a strike by Zamir Smith just inside the penalty area.

The game was played at a frantic pace thereafter, owing mostly to poor weather conditions and Rangers should have doubled their lead, most notably when Sijay Samuels had a curling strike acrobatically saved by young goalkeeper Kamran Harvey.

Matthew Amaral nearly made Rangers pay at the other end but he scuffed the simplest of chances, missing from about five yards after an initial shot by Kyshon Burgess was parried by Sean Perinchief back into a dangerous area.

Vasco finished the first half brightly and started the second with momentum after controlling possession and they could have equalised when Rychus Symonds dragged an effort wide from just outside the box.

Midway through the half Rangers doubled their lead in controversial fashion after Dominique Hill caught a Vasco player accidentally in the face. Referee Dwight Jackson allowed play to continue and the Rangers attacker lobbed the outrushing Harvey and finished into the empty net.

Jackson allowed the goal before tending to the stricken Jonah Hill amid a backdrop of shocked Vasco fans, who believed the official should have stopped the game immediately for a head injury.

Vasco should have had a goal back just after the hour but Callum Maule was judged offside after he headed home Kevin Arruda’s free-kick, but with 20 minutes remaining, Maule pulled a goal back from close range, this time heading home from an almost unmissable position.

Rangers substitute Jahni Bean lashed a strike wide from around the penalty spot after being fed by Bermuda cricketer Malachi Jones, who was a constant threat. Fellow substitute Riccardo Lowe also arrowed a shot towards the far corner, but Harvey did well to glance it around the post before Brangman also sliced a strike wide in the closing stages as the West End side held on to the narrow lead.

Vasco assistant coach Nilson Vieira was disappointed with the result, but took positives from the display.

“The boys didn't play as well with the ball as we wanted,” he said. “However, we stayed alive and nearly got something.

“We had a good campaign for a new side. Next year is the real stepping stone and we will push harder.”

Scorers:

Southampton Rangers: Brangman 5 pen; Hill 58

Vasco: Maule 70

TEAMS

Southampton Rangers (4-2-3-1): S Perinchief 6 – M Zyon-Ray 5, N Ray-Georges 6, Jahkai Hill 5, R Cann 6 – D Brangman 6, A Bailey 6 (sub: R Lowe, 70min 6) – Z Smith 5 (sub: J Bean, 46 5), M Jones 6, S Samuels 5 – D Hill 6. Substitutes not used: D Steede, A Bean, K Douglas, C Henry, K Jennings. Booked: Smith, Jahkai Hill, D Hill, Brangman.

Vasco (4-2-3-1): K Harvey 7 – D Crockwell 4 (sub: M Duarte, 21 5), R McDowell 6, C Maule 5, M Falcao 5 (sub: J Taveras, 77) – K Place 5, R Symonds 6 – K Burgess 5, K Arruda 6, L Campbell 4 (sub: J Trott, 46 6) – M Amaral 5. Substitutes not used: B Copeland. Booked: Duarte, Symonds. Sent off: Duarte.

Referee: Dwight Jackson