Southampton Rangers picked up their first points of the new season when Janeiro Tucker's 18th minute free kick separated these teams on Saturday night at Somerset.

The goal was deserving of being a winner, coming just three minutes after Tucker had wasted his first free kick from 25 yards, putting his effort high and wide.

However, Tucker has a reputation of having a good shot and he proved it at the second attempt when Rangers were awarded another free kick from a similar distance -- this time to the left edge of the penalty box.

Kelly Simmons pulled the ball back for the 20-year-old national squad player to run onto and strike firmly into the low far corner of Andre Hendrickson's goal.

The Trojans looked more fluent than their opponents at times, relying on the likes of Duvall Binns, Lamaul Crofton and defenders Eugene Dean and Duane DeRosa, in particular, to open the Rangers defence.

The home team came within inches of equalising in the 23rd minute when captain DeRosa unleashed a left-footed shot from 25 yards which smashed against the corner of the framework with Darren (Butch) Burchall beaten in the Rangers goal. From the rebound Curtis Grant could only put his shot straight at Hendrickson.

Minutes later Somerset went close again when Dean headed over the bar from an inswinging corner. Dean, at left back, got forward often to give the Trojans an extra attacking option and his crosses caused problems. But despite forcing a host of corners, Somerset failed to capitalise.

Kelly Simmons should have made it 2-0 for Rangers against his old team in the 35th minute when he drove the ball over the top from an Olin Jones corner. In the space of three minutes Somerset's problems intensified, as Binns followed Andre Rahman into referee Dennis Wainwright's book for not moving back 10 yards at a free kick.

The midfielder did his team a great disservice just three minutes after that when he struck Randy Simmons in an off-the-ball incident and was ordered off by Wainwright, leaving Somerset to battle in the second half with just 10 men.

But despite that handicap, the Trojans created some good scoring chances.

Jason Raynor of Southampton was booked in the 66th minute for retaliating after a foul as tempers started to fray. Then Janeiro Tucker let the Trojans know he was still around, driving a 30 yard free kick just inches over the bar.

Somerset attacked frantically in the dying minutes but the Rangers defence, marshalled by veteran Larry Simmons and Pernell Brangman, stood firm.

Somerset: A.Hendrickson, R.Scott, D.DeRosa, A.Rahman, E.Dean, J.Burrows, A.Burchall (D.Woolridge 54 mins), D.Binns, K.Simmons (J.Webb 64 mins), C.Grant (M.Butterfield 74 mins), L.Crofton.

Southampton: D.Burchall; E.Pitt, L.Simmons, P.Brangman, E.Brangman (R.Belboda 77 mins), R.Simmons, J.Tucker, K.Simmons, O.Jones, J.Raynor (D.Tucker 77 mins), A.Wolffe (L.Seymour 61 mins).

Men of match: Eugene Dean (Somerset), Janeiro Tucker (Southampton).

Referee: Dennis Wainwright.