Referee Esten Curtis was kept busy with a sending off, six bookings and two penalties awarded as Vasco continued their climb with a hard-fought win in this often ill-tempered Coca-Cola First Division match at Bernard Park.

The visitors allowed some decisions by Curtis to upset them, but while they lost their cool at times, they never lost their determination as they fought back with 10 men to clinch a third win over Village this season and end their opponents' unbeaten home record this season.

The loss for Village enabled Boulevard and Dandy Town to move level with them at the top of the standings. More important from Vasco's standpoint, the result lifted them out of the bottom three in the standings. The winner came from a fiercely struck volley from former Village player Larance Durham midway through the second half.

The result will make Village all the more determined in their FA Cup replay tomorrow night, as victory over Boulevard will give them another crack at Vasco in the semifinals.

The bookings began as early as the third minute when Voorhees Astwood of Vasco was booked for a foul. A minute later Village fullback Kacy Simons had his name taken for kicking the ball away after being blown down.

Two more yellow cards were shown to Vasco players in the first half, Albert (Tiger) Wolffe for a bad foul on Simons in the 16th minute and Derek Thomas seven minutes later for a foul on Sean Dill.

Vasco had the best of the few clear-cut chances that were created in the first half and in the 34th minute took the lead with a goal out of nothing. A ball was knocked forward towards the edge of the Village box and Astwood struck with a right foot shot just inside the area that went across goal and into 'keeper Dwayne Adams' right-hand post.

Vasco refused to sit on that goal and finished the half on a strong note as Astwood put a shot straight at 'keeper Adams after getting on the end of a pass from Earl Richardson.

Vasco were back on the attack early in the second half when Colin Lloyd's long range shot went past the far post in the 47th minute.

Things started to tour sour after that as Larance Durham was booked for dissent in the 50th minute and three minutes later team-mate Derek Thomas was ejected for shouting "Jesus Christ'' in dissent after being angered by a throw-in decision which went in favour of Village though the ball came off Rahji Edness' boot. It was his second bookable offence.

Village drew level from the resulting throw-in when the long ball into the box saw Philip Clarke fouled from behind by Paul Towlson as he towered over him.

Derek Bell put his spotkick in off a post to bring Village level, as Irving Burgess was then booked for dissent.

Moments later Vasco officials John Rebello and Eddie Correia were ordered off the bench as tempers began to boil in the Vasco camp. However, they remained determined through it all and regained the lead in the 63rd minute through Durham's first goal of the season.

It started with an Earl Richardson freekick deep on the left, and when the ball was not cleared Durham connected with a volley from near the edge of the penalty area and the ball went through a crowded area before beating the unsighted Adams.

Rahji Edness put a right foot shot just over the bar at the other end in the 81st minute after 'keeper Keenan Tucker punched the ball off the head of Ricky Hill from a Sean Dill corner.

Six minutes from the end Vasco should have settled the issue when Curtis awarded a penalty after Keith Jennings had fouled Irving Burgess. However, Donovan Livingston put his shot from the spot straight at the leaning Adams who saved with his legs.

North Village: D.Adams; K.Simons, D.Bell, E.Simmons, R.Edness; Keith Jennings (A.Davis 84min), E.Jennings, A.Bascome; S.Dill, R.Hill, P.Clarke.

Vasco: K.Tucker; E.Richardson, D.Livingston, P.Towlson, C.Lloyd; L.Durham, K.Roberts, V.Astwood; D.Thomas, I.Burgess, A.Wolffe (C.Ainscough 80min).

Referee: Esten Curtis.

Men of match: Rahji Edness, Karl Roberts.