When Herbie Dillas last started for Rangers -- in the season-opener against St. George's -- he went off in pain with a hip injury after just 25 minutes.

Yesterday at Southampton Oval he went off smiling at the end of 90 minutes after his two goals kept Rangers in the top half of the standings.

Rangers needed his goals, too, after falling behind in just the second minute when Sinclair Smith struck for the East Enders. Rangers hadn't even mounted their first serious raid when St. George's forced a corner on the right, taken by Dwayne Richardson.

The ball was cleared to Darrin Walker outside the penalty area and his lob back into the six-yard box looked to have been covered by goalkeeper Bernie Woods, filling in for the vacationing Randy Darrell.

But somehow Woods dropped the ball and Smith followed up to score from a narrow angle.

St. George's, still seeking their first win of the season, had a few anxious moments after that as Rangers started to get it together. In the ninth minute Derek Wright touched a pass back to Neil Paynter inside the St. George's box but it never reached him as Dillas slipped in to graze the top of the upright with a first-time shot.

In the 14th minute, Rangers netted a deserved equaliser when, from a Jason Raynor corner on the right, Dillas followed up on a rebound to score with a low shot.

The home side were now controlling things as St. George's were forced to defend for long periods.

But the visitors nearly regained the lead late in the half when a free kick from the half-way line by Neil Paynter was flighted into the box and Jerome Laws beat Woods to the ball but headed just wide of the post.

Veteran Gregory Smith in the St. George's goal made a good save to deny Kwame Tucker in the 52nd minute. And Rangers had calls for a penalty ignored by referee Cal Simons in the 56th minute when the ball hit Dean Bailey's hand unintentionally as he attempted to clear.

Rohaan Simons then charged in and caught Smith in the face with a late challenge as the goalkeeper collected the rolling ball in the box. Simons was booked for the offence.

Rangers scored what would be their winner in the 62nd minute. And while the effort was well taken, defender Neil Paynter committed a bad mistake in front of the watching national coach Clyde Best.

The casual Paynter allowed Dillas to beat him to a ball in the corner and Dillas was quick to cut inside and get off a low shot that beat the exposed Smith at the near post.

St. George's came back strongly in their attempt to snatch a draw, with Wright coming closest when he met a Laws cross with a diving header that went just wide of the far post. Full back Kervin Moreno then put a shot inches over the top after Wright fed him in the box.

Southampton: B.Woods; P.Brangman, S.Simmons, R.Belboda, N.Grant (M.Raynor 75 mins), O.Jones, K.Tucker, J.Raynor, R.Simons (J.Webb 64 mins), H.Dillas, A.Russell (L.Bean 75 mins).

St. George's: G.Smith; K.Moreno (A.Darrell 82 mins), N.Paynter, Q.Francis, D.Bailey, D.Walker (F.Richardson 71 mins), D.Wright, D.Richardson, D.Whitfield, S.Smith (R.Steede 66 mins), J.Laws.

Referee: Cal Simons Men of Match: Herbie Dillas (Rangers), Gregory Smith (St. George's)