Sam Stables challenges for the ball on halfway, watched by referee Brent Blondel and teammate Iain Lowe. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0846825)

Rangers 1, St Paul’s 12
IT HAD the hallmarks of being a bloodbath – and it was.

In the previous round two weeks ago, a St Paul’s side, who are littered with Jersey players, defeated Bels 4-1 at the Track.

And the writing was on the wall for Rangers as they were woefully under strength as they took on the best team in the Channel Islands, on the lush grass of the College Field on Saturday afternoon.

They were run ragged all afternoon, as their opponents seemed to score at will.

‘They weren’t a bad side to be fair,’ said Rangers boss Paul Ockleford, who, despite the heavy defeat, could still find to time joke about it.

‘Regardless of the team we had, even if we had our best 11, we would have made more of a show, but they are a good side.’

The red-and-blacks went into the match without their best player, island striker Ross Allen, who was out with an adductor muscle problem, and a number of other players such as Piers Ockleford, Arrian Green, the Isabelle brothers Jacques and Marc and Chris Parrott among others.

They were so short that Ockleford senior even had to name himself as a substitute.