A Travis Wilkinson penalty 15 minutes from time ensured a creditable draw for Southampton Rangers at home yesterday against a talented PHC side who rather flattered to deceive.

Clearly the more gifted outfit, the Zebras claimed bags of possession throughout the 90 minutes without ever being up to conjure up the ruthless penetration their dominance warranted.

Rangers hustled and bustled throughout, countering their opponents? superior technical ability with pure determination and an unstinting resolve.

PHC enjoyed the the best of the opening exchanges, with winger Kevin Lambert in particular revelling in the oceans of space being afforded to him down the left flank.

Rangers, meanwhile, had to content themselves with only a handful of often meek long-range efforts during the first 30 minutes ? the best of them a 25-yard strike from the excellent Wilkinson, which flew mighty close to the left hand upright.

The middle of the park was being overrun by the boys in black and white but other than a header over the bar from striker Kenny Mills from a floated free kick into the box, PHC struggled to carve out any clear cut openings.

Just after the half-hour mark, however, some questionable Rangers defending gifted their opponents the opening goal.

A poor PHC free kick from just in front of the half-way line merely limped its way into the box, only for the static Rangers back-line to stand and watch as Mills bundled the ball into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.

Despite Rangers? lack of first-half possession, the best chances fell to the home side as the PHC back four were twice caught palpably square.

Janeiro Tucker, who was somewhat off the pace before being substituted at half-time, missed a golden opportunity from 15 yards having beaten the offside trap with a well-timed run.

Soon after, Tucker split the PHC defence with a wonderful crossfield ball with the outside of his right foot, only to see Wilkinson completely fluff the chance under pressure from the swiftly back-tracking defenders.

The second half proceeded in a similar vein, with PHC consistently looking the more composed and comfortable in possession.

And on the hour, great work from down the left hand side from Blenn Bean, who held off a strong challenge from the Rangers right back to pull off a cross from the dead ball line, presented the simplest of chances to Mills to double his goal tally from only three yards out.

Two down with time running out, Rangers suddenly moved up a gear, tearing into challenges in the centre of the park and putting PHC under pressure with a number of accurate long balls.

With the away side increasingly stretched and beginning to fade in the physical stakes, substitute Devone Bailey rose unmarked at the far post to score and give Rangers a fighting chance of staving off defeat.

Still the home side pressed as an increasingly panicky PHC began to lose some of their earlier composure and surrender possession in dangerous areas.

But just as Rangers seemed to be tiring, referee Stuart Crockwell awarded a spot kick for some shirt-pulling in the box and Wilkinson calmly slotted the ball home with his left foot to the clear delight of the home faithful congregated behind the goal at the northern end.: D.Adams, P.Brangman, W.Raynor, N.Grant, K.Simmon, J.Tucker (D.Bailey 45 mins), K.Tucker, T.Wilkinson, J.Charles, K.Richardson, R.Lowe : R.Glasford, J.Sealy, T.Russell, A.Furbert, J.Mallory, M.Williams, O.Shakir (R.Richardson 69 mins), C.Furbert K.Lambe, K.Mills, D.TuckerO.Shakir (PHC)K.Mills (PHC) T.Wilkinson (Rangers) Stuart Crockwell.