Ireland Rangers 0

Devonshire Colts 2

Ireland Rangers learned the hard way that possession counts for little if you cannot put the ball in the back of the net.

Fresh off a 7-3 demolition of X Roads in the FA Cup, Rangers entered this match keen to keep the momentum going against Ray Jones' side.

But in Aljame Zuill Rangers hit a brick wall as the seasoned striker netted each side of the break to thrust Colts thick in the race for Dudley Eve qualification - and leave the home side to rue after dominating for long spells.

"We had a lot of opportunities but did not put them away while Colts did. And this came back to haunt us in the end . . . . even Colts' coach (Jones) admitted afterwards that his team was lucky," lamented Rangers coach Duane (Box) DeRosa.

DeRosa was also unhappy with a few calls that went against his team but refused to use them as an excuse for the loss that keeps Rangers rooted at the bottom of the pile.

"I thought the officiating was very inconsistent," he said. "But we competed well today - we just didn't turn a lot of possession into goals."

DeRosa attributed some fine goalkeeping by Colts' custodian Kevin Bean between the uprights as another key factor for his team's undoing.

" I have to give him (Bean) credit - he pulled off some magnificent saves to shut us out," the former Southampton Rangers and Somerset Trojans defender added.

Zuill put Colts ahead for good midway through the first half with a vintage strike that literally left makeshift goalie Leslie Trew grasping at thin air. After producing a burst of speed down the left-side, Zuill, with the wind at his back, curled the ball over a stranded Trew who paid the price for straying off his line.

But despite falling behind Rangers fought on gallantly in search of an equalizer, only to concede a late penalty that Zuill buried to put the result beyond doubt.