Southampton Rangers 1 Belco engineers were forced to take their spanners to a junction box when the lights on three pylons failed 15 minutes into last night's First Division match at BAA Field.

They restored brightness to the pitch after about ten minutes, but it was Rangers who put a spanner in the works of Colts' championship challenge with a battling performance which prevented their opponents joining Vasco and Boulevard at the top of the table.

Rangers held the upper hand throughout the first half with the pace of Jason Raynor, Craig Darrell and Corey Simmons troubling the Colts rearguard to the extent that the absence of 12-goal winger Rohaan Simons was barely noticed.

Janeiro Tucker was, however, back to add solidity to the midfield and after producing a fine 20 yard shot which forced Troy Hall to turn the ball round the post, he had a great chance to put Southampton ahead.

In the 26th minute he made a fine late run to get behind the Colts' defence and latch on to a free kick from just inside the Rangers half, but his burst into the penalty area was halted by Sekai Waldron's clear trip. Referee Esten Curtis pointed immediately to the spot but Tucker's firmly struck effort was brilliantly parried by Hall.

Rangers continued to boss the half and it took two defenders to halt Raynor when he worked a useful position in the Colts box.

But Corey Simmons finally created the breakthrough in the 33rd minute, taking a throw in close to the byline and feinting one way before twisiting back the other and providing a sweet cross for Kwame Tucker to plant home with his head.

Whatever Colts' coach Vic Ball had to say to his troops at the break, it had the desired effect as the giant youngster Sullivan Phillips linked up well with Keishon Smith and the diminutive Tito Smith in a promising partnership.

Each acted as supplier and receiver as Colts built wave upon wave of imaginative attack, and it was only some brave goalkeeping by Randy Darrell and stubborn defending by Neville Grant and Ryan Belboda which kept the reigning champions at bay.

But they finally got their reward when Phillips burst through to be sent tumbling by an outstretched Rangers leg.

Shannon Burgess stepped up to send Darrell the wrong way from the resulting penalty and ensure the points were shared.

Dev Colts: T.Hall, S.Burgess, J.Samuels (J.Butterfield 88 mins), Jermaine Belboda, Jermal Belboda, K.Burchall, S.Waldron, D.Wright (T.Harvey 73 mins), T.Smith, K.Smith, S.Phillips Southampton Rangers: R.Darrell, P.Brangman, R.Belboda, J.Tucker, N.Grant, K.Tucker (M.Scott 45 mins (D.Tucker 88 mins), C.Simmons, C.Darrell, J.Raynor, E.Pitt, A.Wolfe (H.Dillas 34 mins) Referee: Esten Curtis Men of the match: Sullivan Phillips (Colts); Neville Grant (Rangers)