A missed penalty by Clay Smith after 59 minutes hurt St. George's' momentum as they desperately attempted to get back into this First Division clash at Wellington Oval yesterday.

Smith's blunder came at a critical period of the game when the intense pressure the East Enders were applying was beginning to have its effect, with Vasco holding a slender 2-1 lead.

The failure to convert the spot kick proved a painful blow. Instead of tying up the score, St. George's let Vasco off the hook, enabling them to regroup and eventually score a third and decisive goal right at the end.

Irving Burgess, Mark Ray and Kenneth Dill netted for Vasco while Ricky Hill got the lone goal for St. George's.

Although Vasco deserved their victory, the game was much closer than the final score indicated.

The first half saw Vasco in complete charge but St. George's came back with a vengeance at the start of the second and pinned down their opponents until the latter stages when they began to tire.

John Rebello, who replaced Jack Castle as coach of Vasco during the week, was seen wearing a smile at the end. But he may have been more relieved than anything else, simply because the battle was over.

A walkover might have appeared on the cards when Vasco took a decisive 2-0 lead early on with Irving Burgess scoring after just seven minutes and Ray netting another six minutes later -- both goals set up by right full-back Sinclair Gibbons.

Vasco poured on the pressure against a suspect defence with Earl Richardson, Ray and Livingston putting shots wide of the St. George's goal.

But the shaken home team had their confidence restored after 26 minutes when Hill managed to outleap centre-half Paul Towlson and head home a ball that Leroy Robinson had distributed from deep in defence. St. George's came into their own and finished the half strongly with Stevie Dickinson firing a volley inches over from just outside the penalty box.

St. George's, now displaying more precise passing, showed more appetite for goals when play restarted and should have equalised after 58 minutes but Hill placed a cross from Robinson straight into the chest of goalkeeper Keenan Tucker.

Then there was further agony for St. George's a minute later when Smith's penalty was saved when Tucker dived to the left to knock it away for a corner.

With Smith tireless and resourceful in midfield St. George's pressed on but Tucker was sharp in goal to deny Jerome Laws and Smith who both got off decent shots on goal.

Vasco, during an isolated raid, had Ray put a shot from Kentoine Jennings over from close range after 72 minutes. But St. George's remained hungry for goals and responded just afterwards with Clay Smith dismayed as his firm shot from 16 yards was snatched by Tucker.

Vasco regained the edge near the end and were successful attacking down the flanks.

It was from a corner by Ray that Livingston smartly headed into the middle a ball that eventually went into the net off Dill for the clincher a minute from the end.

St. George's: T.Hall; K.Moreno (C.Greaves, 28 mins), D.Walker, P.Bailey, A.Todd; L.Robinson (D.Whitfield, 85 mins), D.Richardson, S.Dickinson, C.Smith; J.Laws, R.Hill.

Vasco: K.Tucker; S.Gibbons, P.Towlson, D.Livingston, E.Richardson; M.Ray, K.Roberts, K.Jennings, W.Burgess (D.Stapley, 85 mins); I.Burgess, D.Basden.

Referee: Stuart Crockwell.

Men of the match: Clay Smith (St. George's); Keenan Tucker (Vasco).