Just when it appeared Rangers had clinched the last semi-final spot in the Martonmere Cup, substitute Jamel (Mouse) Smith popped up to save the night for Vasco.

Vasco hit the framework on a couple of occasions in the second half, but otherwise it was Rangers doing most of the attacking after the restart. Vasco held a slim 1-0 lead after Art Tyrell's spectacular overhead kick broke the deadlock in the first minute of the game.

That gave Vasco, needing only a draw going into the match to advance, a decisive advantage against a Rangers team that had yet to score their first goal of the season.

Their best effort in the first half came in the 43rd minute when Herbie Dillas ran onto a ball into the Vasco box to unleash a volley that brought off a good diving save from Timmy Figureido.

Rangers injected more thrust into their attack by bringing on Travis Wilkinson at the start of the second half as immediately he began to cause some problems.

Their hard work paid off with the equaliser in the 50th minute through Craig Darrell who scored from close range after following up on a shot that was blocked on the goalline.

Rampant Rangers had the ball in the net a second time in the 79th minute when sub Nashon Smith converted with a header only to see his celebrations spoiled with referee Lyndon Raynor called it back for pushing against Donnie Charles on Clinton Caisey.

But Rangers, knowing only a win would advance them in the competition, refused to give up and were rewarded with what many thought was the winner in the 87th minute when the hard working Darrell scored his second goal of the match, this time a diving header at the far post to a cross from the left touchline.

For a brief few minutes they were thinking about a meeting next week against Dandy Town in the semi-finals. But Vasco had obviously not dismissed that possibility as they launched one final decisive raid a minute into injury time.

A long ball upfield by goalkeeper Timmy Figureido brought striker Dwight Basden into the play as he forced an opening in the Rangers defence on the left side of the penalty box and laid off a perfect cross to the far post where substitute Smith nodded home a simple downward header.

Referee Raynor was kept busy with bookings as he cautioned four players in each half, six of the eight in total from Vasco.

Vasco: T.Figureido; D.Stapley, T.Dickinson, C.Roberts, A.Caisey, J.Belboda, K.Smith, C.Caisey (K.Burchall 82min), D.Basden, A.Tyrell (J.Smith 62min), K.Jennings.

Rangers: M.Higgs; N.Grant, O.Riley, R.Belboda, J.Raynor, E.Pitt (T.Wilkinson 46min), C.Darrell, D.Charles, K.Tucker, O.Hart (N.Smith 75min), H.Dillas.

Men of the match: Kuma Smith (Vasco), Craig Darrell (Rangers).

Yellow cards: Albert Caisey, Clinton Caisey, Keith Jennings, Clifford Roberts, Dwight Basden, Keenan Burchall (all Vasco); Eugene Pitt, Donnie Charles (Rangers).