Southampton 1 Vasco 3 Southampton Rangers suffered a disappointing return to the First Division when in-form Vasco struck three times in the second half to clinch the points at Southampton Oval.

All three of Vasco's goals came as a result of crosses from corners, the first two from headers by Kentoine Jennings and Dwight Basden and the third an own goal by veteran defender Larry Simmons, one of three former Somerset Trojans brothers making his debut.

Janeiro Tucker pulled a goal back for the home team but it came too late to threaten the outcome. To add to Rangers' woes striker Kwame Tucker was sent off on his debut, the second former Somerset Trojans player this week to mark his first appearance with a new club with a sending off, following in the footsteps of Vasco's Steven Arorash earlier in the week.

There was little to shout about in a mediocre first half in which both teams struggled to string passes together. The closest Rangers came to scoring in the opening half was when Tucker collected a pass in the 29th minute from another debutant, Kelly Simmons, on the left, turned inside and unleashed a 30 yard shot that went wide of the near post. Three minutes later Tucker's problems began when he was booked for a foul.

Corey Hill wasted a good chance to open Vasco's account in the 41st minute after a long ball upfield from Karl Roberts sent him through. However, Hill's shot from an angle on the left was blocked by goalkeeper Darren Burchall.

It took Vasco just five minutes into the second half to take the lead. Dwight Basden went close initially when his shot from a Sinclair Gibbons cross was deflected against the crossbar and over the top for a corner. From the corner on the left by Corey Hill, Kentoine Jennings headed his first goal of the season inside the post.

Arorash came on for Billy Kirkpatrick in the 56th minute as Vasco sought to boost their midfield. A good pass from Kelly Simmons in the 65th minute set up Janeiro Tucker perfectly but his first time volley from the edge of the box went high over the crossbar.

Arorash laid on the pass which Basden met to head past Burchall and double the Vasco lead in the 73rd minute. Goal number three came just five minutes later when a corner on the right by Hill was played to Karl Roberts just inside the box. His firm shot was deflected into the far corner by Larry Simmons as Vasco celebrated a sure victory.

Rangers were reduced to 10 men in the 82nd minute when Kwame Tucker was ejected by referee Cal Simons for kicking Stapley in retaliation after being fouled.

Vasco finally conceded their first goal of the season four minutes from the end when Janeiro Tucker beat Timmy Figureido with a firm penalty after Tucker was fouled by Shawn Smith.

Jennings limped off to be replaced by Walton Burgess, but by then Vasco knew victory was in the bag.

Southampton: D.Burchall; J.Burgess, E.Pitt, L.Simmons, P.Brangman; J.Tucker, K.Simmons, R.Simmons, O.Jones, K.Tucker, J.Raynor (A.Wolffe 69 mins).

Vasco: T.Figureido; D.Stapley, S.Smith, K.Jennings (W.Burgess 86 mins), E.Richardson, B.Kirkpatrick (S.Arorash 56 mins), K.Roberts, S.Gibbons, I.Burgess (F.Simmons 80 mins), D.Basden, C.Hill.

Men of the match: Kelly Simmons (Rangers), Kentoine Jennings (Vasco).

Referee: Cal Simons.

KENTOINE JENNINGS -- headed Vasco's first goal