Southampton Rangers 1 –Devonshire Cougars 1

Domico Coddington leapt from the bench and grabbed a late equaliser to spare Devonshire Cougars' blushes at Southampton Oval yesterday.

Trailing a goal down with a minute remaining in regulation time, Coddington scored with a low drive in the box after hosts Southampton Rangers were slow to react to a setpiece.

Rangers, who took the lead against the run of play in the 31st minute via a brilliant goal from teenaged striker Morricko Iris, appeared destined for a first win of the season under new coach Albert Smith. But a disputed free-kick for an unintentional handball put paid to those hopes and paved the way for Cougars to poach a late equaliser and salvage a hard earned point.

"I think my team was fortunate today as Rangers made things really tough for us. We were fortunate to come away with a draw," a relieved Cougars coach Devarr Boyles conceded.

Cougars enjoyed huge chunks of possession and created ample chances to put the match away. But their inability to crack a dogged Rangers defence marshalled by veteran sweeper Donnie Charles until the latter stages left them playing catch up most of the way.

"We really didn't turn possession into penetration and penetration into chances," added Boyles. "Towards the end we had four good chances and so the pressure was always building."

During the 2001-02 campaign Rangers coach Smith coached Cougars to their first domestic major title (Martonmere Cup). Yesterday he came close to plotting their demise and inflicting a first loss of the season against his former club.

"We should have won this match today. We fought hard, but sometimes that's the way the ball bounces." Smith told The Royal Gazette.

With Rangers skipper Kamen Tucker and Charles calling the shots from the rear and the wizardry of 17-year old Iris, Rohaan Simons and Travis Wilkinson keeping the Cougars defense on alert, the Premier Division newcomers once again proved they are not going to be any pushovers this season.

"Overall it was a good performance and we showed true character. We still have a way to go, but the players are really beginning to believe in themselves," Smith said.

Yet for all their hussle Rangers were taught a cruel but fundamental lesson - it's never over until the proverbial fat lady sings.

"We have to learn how to defend right until the end," Smith noted.

Rangers were slow shifting through the gears and they nearly paid the price when the mercurial Tumani Steede came close with a volley that flew just inches past the uprights. National team full-back Darius Cox also came close to breaking the deadlock with a curling free-kick.

Yet despite playing second fiddle for long spells Rangers stunned the visitors when Iris kept his wits under pressure and slotted the ball under the onrushing Ricardo Brangman Jr after a deft Wilkinson backheel wrong-footed the Cougars defense, and sent the teenager in the clear.

Cougars sharpened their claws and piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser after the break. But whenever they found a way past their hosts' last line of the defense Rangers 'keeper Jason Smith proved equal to the task.

However, not even the agility of Smith could deny super sub Coddington from converting in heavy traffic to leave Rangers pondering what might have been had they not been blown for a questionable handball - that was clearly kicked against.

Southampton Rangers: J.Smith, K.Simmons, D.Charles, K.Tucker (capt), A.Rocker, J.Charles, J.Dill, T.Wilkinson (T.Flood, 88 mins), R.Lowe (T.Brown, 65 mins), R.Simons (J.Bean, 68 mins), M.Iris.

Devonshire Cougars: R.Brangman, O.Butterfield, K.Franks, J.Butterfield, D.Cox, I.Mallory, M.Steede (M.Smith, 59 mins), R.Robinson (D.Coddington, 59 mins), K.Steede (capt), K.Tucker, T.Steede.

Yellow cards: J.Smith, K.Simmons, T.Wilkinson (Rangers); I.Mallory, K.Tucker (Cougars).

Men of the match: J.Dill (Rangers); D.Coddington (Cougars).

Referee: Anthony Mouchette.

Boulevard Blazers 3–Hamilton Parish 0

Two late goals by the Blazers finally put this result out of reach of visiting Parish in a Premier Division clash at BAA yesterday.

Blazers, having taken a 1-0 lead at the interval on a goal by Takeyhi Walker after 30 minutes, were forced to sweat it out against their upstart opposition until they were put in the safety zone with the two additional strikes from Ajari Gibbons (penalty) after 78 minutes and Angelo Simmons after 88 minutes.

Nobody would argue that the Blazers didn't deserve maximum points, but with a bit of luck Parish could have sneaked a point had they been rewarded for grabbing a fair share of the play in the opening half.

In fact, after early dominance by the home side, Parish were unlucky not to score when Kaiya Darrell headed a corner by Jamie Smith that forced Randy Broadbelt in the Blazers goal to sensationally dive to save.

Blazers, lacking a few key players in defence with injuries, rarely looked like a team as high as second place yet they never played second fiddle or ever looked like being dominated by their opponents.

For the rest of the half play see-sawed with Mike Parsons and Walker putting shots just wide for the Blazers and Mike Albouy and Patrick Richardson doing likewise for Parish.

With play even the Blazers took the initiative when substitute Dion Stovell (on after 24 minutes when right-back Rico Trott lost a tooth after a collision) created a defence-splitting pass that Walker lobbed over the head of the advance Nigel Burgess in the Parish goal.

There was some enterprising football to follow with Stovell inspiring Blazers and Darrell Parish, but the defences refusing to yield.

The second half though failed to match the first with play rarely rising above the mediocre.

Blazers, who with prominent front players Melchisedec Gibbons, Angelo Simmons and Walker, rarely threatened to over-run the Parish defence while going forward Parish were never really persistent and clearly lacked bite up front.

It was a real handicap for the home side when they lost a second defender through injury after 55 minutes with Jamal Warren being replaced by Dunn-Ya Taylor and it was understandable how they never look settled.

As Parish began to lose some of their edge their opponents were allowed to come back with momentum and managed to gain a decisive edge near the end.

Burgess in the Parish goal, turned away two shots from Ajari Gibbons and Angelo Simmons before the former converted a penalty after 82 minutes to give his team a 2-0 lead, then two minutes from time Melchisedec Gibbons and Simmons combined for Simmons to tap in the third goal from a few feet.

Boulevard: R.Broadbelt; R.Trott (D.Stovell, 24 min), C.Trott, J.Warren (D.Taylor, 55 min), J.Payne; A.Gibbons, W.Place, M.Parsons; M.Gibbons, T.Walker, A.Simmons. Subs not used: A.Jombwe, M.Hewey.

Hamilton Parish: N.Burgess; T.Webb, C.Hansey, W.Martin, D.Smith (K.Clarke, 56 min); N.Robinson, R.Evans, P.Richardson (A.Ebbin, 80 min); K.Darrell, J.Smith, M.Albouy (N.Swan, 56 min). Subs not used: L.Butterfield, L.Raynor.

Referee: L.Wilson

Men of the match: Boulevard: Dion Stovell; Parish: Kaiya Darrell.