North Village can mark down Sunday, March 6, 1994 as the day they all but handed Dandy Town the Coca-Cola First Division title.

On a day when the on-field temperature fluctuated greatly from minute to minute the Red Devils were a constant `cold' throughout and never appeared as a side challenging for a title.

The result left Village trailing Town by three points with two games left to play and having to win their impending match-up against the Hornets and hope for St. George's to do the same in the season finale.

Colts, having no such aspirations although still mathematically still in the title hunt, were only marginally better in comparison to the home team. But they displayed a hungry attitude and more purpose in their approach and were duly rewarded with two points.

Midfielder Mark Ray's goal early in the second half proved the difference although a late Village flurry threatened to overturn his efforts.

Colts' skipper Ellington Weldon was twice thwarted by the quick reflexes of goalkeeper Dwayne Adams in the 22nd and 39th minutes as he palmed away a firm header and then smothered another nod from in close.

Still it was Village missing the best chance to score with Kacy Simons shooting over from 13 yards following a perfect cross from Kevin Jennings.

Not to be outdone Colts' Andre Hendrickson displayed his own variety of acrobatics, drawing howls from the audience in going full length to his right to tip over a Kentoine Jennings drive in the 32nd minute and them denying Philip Clarke after diving to his left after 41 minutes of play.

The interval brought welcome relief from what was rapidly becoming an eye-sore and while not exactly providing value for money, the second half at least did produce a goal.

However, this was of no solace to the home crowd who have seen their team fall from the pinnacle to the status of also ran.

It took just seven minutes after the restart for Colts to take the lead through a well manufactured goal that started with Craig Smith driving the ball into the penalty area where Weldon deftly touched the ball to Ray who rifled into the low right corner.

Suddenly sensing the direness of the situation Village applied increased pressure up front, but the Colts defence, with young centre-back Jahmal Samuels as the lynch pin, held firm.

Clarke, Simons and Edness all watched efforts go a begging in the final moments as the equaliser continually eluded them.

North Village: D.Adams; K.Grant, T.Walker, Ken.Jennings, R.Edness; K.Simons, Kev.Jennings, E.Jennings; S.Dill (R.Hill 28 mins), T.Smith (T.Darrell 73 mins), P.Clarke.

Devonshire Colts: A.Hedrickson; A.Wilson, D.Wright, J.Samuels, J.Belboda (R.Tota 72 mins), L.Hypolite, M.Ray, Q.Aberdeen; C.Smith, J.Weeks (A.Zuill 81 mins), E.Weldon.

Referee: Roddy Burchall.

Men of the Match: Kentoine Jennings (North Village), Jahmal Samuels (Devonshire Colts).

Somerset 3, Vasco 1 The Somerset Trojans put an emphatic end to Vasco da Gama's winning streak with a convincing 3-1 victory yesterday at Somerset.

Such was the level of play of the Trojans that the FA Challenge Cup and Friendship Trophy finalists could consider themselves lucky to not have given up twice as many goals on the day. The home team had a somewhat inauspicious beginning, though, as they came very close to giving up a gift right from the opening whistle.

Vasco's Albert Wolffe drifted a looping shot from 40 yards out that caught the Trojans' goalkeeper, Antoine Swan, flatfooted before hitting the upright. This close call brought Somerset to life and they immediately forced Vasco's goalkeeper Gerald Sims to turn a well-taken shot by Reggie Tucker against the crossbar for the clearance. But the Trojans were not to be denied. Their commitment in midfield was evident as they effectively controlled that area and opened gaping holes in the Vasco defence almost at will.

Richard Scott was a dynamo up front for the Trojans and it was his fine running off the ball that brought them their first goal. He drifted to the edge of the visitors' penalty area unchallenged and connected with a first time shot that whistled past Sims into the back of the net.

With Vasco apparently resting some key players in light of the upcoming finals, their defence appeared porous at best.

The solid defensive play of Paul Towlson was missing, and coupled with the fact that Donovan Livingston drifted too often into an attacking role, the Trojans controlled the tempo of play to create goalscoring opportunities.

Rodney Bascome tested Sims with a terrific drive that the 'keeper did well to push around the post. But he could do little with Somerset's second goal which saw Clifton Anderson drill a vicious shot through a maze of players into the back of the net.

Less than five minutes into the second half the Trojans scored again. In typical fashion, Bascome was on hand to scramble home the ball with defenders nipping at his heels.

It was at this point though that the match was held up for some 30 minutes when Vasco's Burton Bruce broke his ankle in a tackle and play was stopped until the ambulance arrived to take him to hospital.

After the restart Vasco played with noticeably more commitment and began to put together penetrating passes that created goalscoring chances.

Albert Wolffe had a golden opportunity near the Somerset six yard box but the striker lifted the ball well high of the target.

It was not, however, until the very last minute of play that they did find the net with Durham scrambling the ball home after some fine approach work by Livingston.

Somerset: A.Swan; T.Dickinson, L.Simmons, P.Place, S.Arorash (R.Brangman 50 min), D.DeRoza, R.Simmons, C.Anderson, R.Tucker, R.Scott, R.Bascome.

Vasco: G.Sims; C.Lloyd, D.Livingston, K.Roberts, B.Bruce (M.Tankard 65 min), V.Astwood, G.Ray, C.Ainscough, A.Wolffe (A.Cabral 68 min), I.Burgess, L.Durham.

Referee: John Bento.

Men of the Match: Richard Scott (Somerset), Larance Durham (Vasco).