Striker Jerry Laws made up for some bad misses in the first half with a double strike after the restart at Southampton Oval to make it a happy new year for St. David's.

The last time these two teams met back on October 4 in the season opener Laws lasted just five minutes after being being knocked unconscious in a collision with Derek Scott. Yesterday he delivered his own knockout punches in the 46th and 79th minutes to give St. David's a deserved third win of the season.

The better of the first-half chances fell to St. David's, and Laws in particular, as he volleyed just wide of the near post in the 12th minute from a move down the right side.

Hotels responded with Coolridge Bell volleying wide following a Scott cross in the 17th minute and then St. David's captain Cal Richardson cleared from in front of goal after a blocked shot from Stevie Dickinson spun away from 'keeper Dale Fox at the near post.

Kanhai Fray laid on another good chance for Laws in the 20th minute when he crossed from the right. But Laws tried to get the ball under control instead of shooting first time and the opportunity was wasted.

Laws made a better effort at another chance on the half-hour when a Del Hollis pass sent him through the Hotels defence on the left side. As he got inside the box he put the ball on his right foot and tried to chip it to the far post only to put his shot just wide.

Moments later player/coach Garrett Dill missed a good chance at the far post following another Hollis pass after he combined with Fray.

If Hotels were lucky to still be level at the half, it was not long after the restart that they found themselves trailing. Dill put a ball through the middle for Laws after just 90 seconds and Laws placed his first-time shot past the advancing Darrell.

Not surprising Hotels lifted their game after that as Ricky Hill, who had been kept quiet by Willis Smith, turned and chipped a shot just past the far post after captain Eugene Simmons set up the chance. Then Clifton Anderson shot into the side-netting on the left side.

After a Hotels raid broke down in the 66th minute a quick break by St. David's saw Laws and Hollis combine with Laws just failing to get on the end of Hollis' shot at the far post.

At a critical stage when Hotels looked like equalising, St. David's scored an insurance goal in the 79th minute when Laws pounced onto a ball played forward and drove a left-foot volley under the body of Darrell. It was his fifth goal of the season. Hotels: R.Darrell; D.McGowan (D.Bell, 62 mins), P.Smith, F.Greaves, D.Scott; E.Simmons, S.Dickinson, C.Sabir; R.Hill, C.Bell, C.Anderson (T.Bassett, 78 mins).

St. David's: D.Fox; S.Pitcher, C.Richardson, W.Smith, A.Steede; D.Hollis, E.Smith (E.Wolffe, 45 mins), G.Dill, E.Crockwell, K.Fray (R.Pitcher, 89 mins), J.Laws.

Referee: Keith Smith.

Men of the match: Derek Scott (Hotels); Willis Smith (St. David's).