North Village 4 Southampton Rangers 0North Village swept aside Southampton Rangers after scoring three goals in the first half an hour of yesterday’s Premier Division match at Bernard Park.

Rangers, who are just three points above relegation, were a goal down soon after kick-off when youngster Jason Lee headed home from a corner kick.

Village extended their lead on 20 minutes when Ralph Bean picked out midfielder Thomas Brown, who headed past goalkeeper Jason Smith after being afforded too much time by Rangers’ defence.

Sammy DeGraff, the Rams skipper, then squandered a gilt-edged opportunity when he fluffed his shot with just the keeper the beat following good work down the left flank by Bean.

Making amends for that miss, DeGraff then put Village further ahead when he cut inside from the left before firing past Smith, who received little protection from his defence throughout the game.

With Village starting with customary striker Pierre Smith between the sticks, Rangers would have hoped to have at least tested the makeshift keeper who was rarely called upon.

At the interval, Village coach Shaun Goater switched Smith to his natural attacking position, with first choice keeper, Jason Williams, replacing him in goal to further shore up the hosts’ backline.

In truth, the scoreline could have been even more one-sided had Village converted several good chances in the second half. Pierre Smith should have done better with a pair of opportunities in quick succession, twice firing straight at the keeper; while Lee saw a powerful shot blocked by a defender en route to goal.

The visitors, without coach Keith Jennings who landed himself in hot water with the Bermuda Football Association last weekend after verbally abusing referee Stephen Allen, offered very little attacking threat other than a couple of efforts from Ezekiel Stoneham.

The midfielder forced a flying save from keeper Williams before rattling the crossbar with a venomous strike from distance.

However, Rangers found themselves four goals down when substitute Lashun Dill’s shot took a deflection off a Rangers defender.

Goater praised his side’s ruthless first half finishing which killed the game by half-time.

“The wind was with us during the first half so we knew we had to make the most of that,” said Goater.

P Smith, T Burgess, D Tankard, D Grant, S Fubler, S DeGraff (L Dill, 70), J Davis, J Lee, R Bean, K Dill, T Watson (J Williams, 45)

North Village:

L Alexander

Substitutes not used:

Lee, 2, Watson, 25, DeGraff, 30, L Dill, 74

Goals:

J Smith, M Williams, K Astwood, K Simmons, I Mallory, T Wilkinson, V Perinchief (C Castle, 41), A Russell, K Jones (A Burrows, 75), D Russell (K Symonds, 76)

Southampton Rangers:

R Lowe, J Casey

Substitutes not used:

D Russell, I Mallory

Yellow cards:

Referee: L Wilson

J Lee (Village)

Man of the match: