All those held hostage for 90 minutes of uninspiring football at Southampton Oval yesterdaay would have certainly been in line to receive a medal for tolerance today.

While a late Melchisedec Gibbons header in heavy traffic finally gave Blazers new coach Vernon Symonds and the visiting team their first league win since last October, the spectacle itself proved to be as exciting as watching paint dry.

Perhaps fans who braved to venture through the turnstiles should have asked the gate attendant to pay them rather then fork out an admission fee to watch these two Premier Division teams produce a classic example of what not to do when summoned on centre stage.

And although it was by far not one of Blazers better performances of the season, it was enough to send them two notches up the standings into fourth spot on goal difference over North Village ? and just might have assured them of playing Premier Division football next season.

In stark contrast, Rangers? loss condemned them to the threshold of relegation with four matches left to go. And for long spells they played every bit the part of a team destined for the dreaded drop.

Luckily, had it not been for some sloppy finishing on Blazers behalf, the margin of victory could have been wider.

But Blazers front trio of Raymond Burgess, Gibbons and Michael Parsons proved to be in a charitable mood, either slicing, ballooning or simply mis-kicking the ball in front of a fragile Gerald Simons in the Rangers goal.

Simons perhaps endured an afternoon he would want to quickly forget, as Blazers two goals were actually soft in nature ? and goals the ?keeper should have had in check.

But it would be grossly unfair to place the blame solely on Simons as some of his team-mates were also at fault for poor marking, wayward passing and outright unimaginative football.

And after only 30 seconds it became quite clear why the home team are staring straight down the relegation barrel.

However, thanks to Burgess? generosity when put in the clear by Gibbons? pass behind the defence, Rangers dodged a bullet as the player failed to get leather to the ball.

But their luck would soon run out when Simons committed the first of two mistakes which came back to haunt his team ? big time.

What initially appeared to be an innocuous high diagonal cross from Gregory Johnson in the middle went unchallenged by the entire Rangers defence, leaving the unmarked Parsons with the simple task of stabbing the ball home at the back post into the unguarded net.

And from here, a Blazers blowout appeared imminent. But the visiting team repeatedly wasted chances to increase their lead, leaving the door wide open for Rangers to bide their time and mount a second -half revival and nearly ? with a little luck ? sneak away with what would have been a first win of the season.

Pint-sized forward Reggie Lowe at times combined nicely with Kemon Simmons, Travis Wilkinson and Jahma Charles sporting florescent green boots ? and one of three Rangers players on the pitch with close family ties with Blazers.

But while their combined work ethics would have earned them credit, their finishing left much to be desired as they repeatedly sent the unusually quiet assembly of fans on the venue?s northern embankment ducking for cover.

Simmons, however, turned the match on its head when he finished off a neat move started by substitute McLee Smith ? on for the injured Wayne Raynor ? and also involving Lowe from midfield. Smith?s pass to Lowe resulted in the diminutive schemer?s cross being caressed across the line by the lurking Simmons at the back post.

It then seemed as though Simmons? strike had ignited Rangers hopes of coming away with maximum points as they ran at Blazers with more purpose, only to either fall victim to the offside trap or their own inability to convert.

Simmons should have did better with Jahma Charles? free-kick in the middle. However, he failed to connect yards in front of goal, with only Nathan Darrell in goal to beat.

Gibbons would not be so forgiving as he glanced Stanton Lewis? inswinging cross off his head after Simons hesitated to react through a maze of legs, and into the back of the net to seal Blazers? win four minutes from time.

: G.Simons, P.Brangman, T.Wilkinson, J.Charles, D.Charles, K.Simmons (D.Adams, 85 mins), R.Lowe, W.Raynor (M.Smith, 40 mins), S.Perinchief, T.Caisey, R.Simmons.: N.Darrell, T.Davis, R.Wilson, S.Lewis, T.Trott, G.Johnson (M.Place, 55 mins), J.Samuels, D.Warren, M.Gibbons, R.Burgess (D.Rogers, 70 mins), M.Parsons.: K.Simmons (Southampton); R.Burgess (Boulevard): K.Simmons (Southampton); M.Parsons (Boulevard).: George O?Brien.