Paget Lions can let out a mighty roar should they defeat lowly Social Club at Bernard Park on Sunday and clinch promotion to the top flight for the first time in history.

To date the Ord Road club have only a solitary First Division Shield title ? achieved in 1995-96 ? to brag about.

The odd run -in with Bermuda Football Association (BFA) and several coaching changes later Lions are poised to go where no other Paget team before them even dared to dream ? the Premier Division.

Victory over Social Club will move Paget onto 40 points and confirm their whereabouts for next season but the race for the First Division championship won?t be decided for at least another week.

?We can almost reach out and touch it (promotion) but we aren?t going to take anything for granted at this stage of the game,? stated Paget Community Club president Michael Stovell.

Stovell has been around the club for the past 25 years and has experienced first hand some of the challenges the club has had to overcome.

Lions face X Roads on February 26 and Southampton Rangers on March 5 in their remaining league fixtures for the season, both matches slated for White Hill Field.

As it currently stands, Paget lead nearest rivals St.David?s by five points and third and fourth placed Rangers and Wolves by seven. The maximum amount of points St.David?s can amass is 41 while Rangers and Wolves can obtain 39 from their remaining league fixtures.

Therefore, Paget can clinch one of the two promotion spots with victory over the Bluebirds on Sunday and, perhaps, ignite celebrations in the Ord Road community not witnessed since the days of Warwick Bomadiers, Warwick?s Walk Tall United and Paget?s Shield victory in ?96.

?The spirit and camaraderie in the camp is running high, but nobody is really going overboard until the mission has actually been accomplished,? Stovell added. ?There?s a lot of buzz in the neighbourhood. It takes something of this nature to bring the community together and if we can clinch promotion then it would do a lot for the community.?

Even with key strikers Dion Stovell and Devonne Bailey out of Sunday?s line-up through suspension, Lions are still heavily favoured over a Social Club side that continues to struggle.

Stovell was sent off in his team?s 1-0 FA Cup loss to defending champions North Village last weekend while Bailey picked up a third yellow card in the same match and will now serve out an automatic one-game ban.

Super sub Kenneth Durrant could find himself making a rare start while player/coach Marvin Belboda and Yusaff Pitt are expected to shoulder the bulk of the load up front.

?This is obviously the furthest we?ve ever been and yes we are excited,? club chief Stovell said.

?But we?re not going to get complacent or lose any focus until we have played that last match against Rangers.?

Paget have also secured a March 12 Shield final clash against X Roads at the National Sports Centre (NSC) to remain firmly on course to execute a league and cup double.

Lions were thrashed 7-1 by Somerset Trojans in the 2004 Shield final played at Wellington Oval.

Meanwhile, second placed St.David?s can ill-afford any further slip ups at this stage of the season as both Southampton Rangers and Wolves trail them by a mere two points with three matches remaining in the 2005-06 campaign.

St.David?s are facing a tricky outing against unpredictable X Roads at Garrison Field while Wolves are heavily favoured over minnows Somerset Eagles at the Den.

Rangers have had their match against Prospect United at Southampton Oval postponed due to the death of former Police commissioner Lenny Edwards.

Elsewhere St.George?s Colts host whipping boys Hamilton Parish at Wellington Oval.

No Premier Division football will be played this weekend due to Bermuda?s friendly match against visiting New England Revolution at the NSC tomorrow night.

l BAA will play MR Onions in the Commercial Cup Final on March 4 after beating Valley 2-1 on Wednesday night.

BAA were down to ten men in the first 20 minutes after right-back Gary Munn was sent off for foul language but managed to get ahead before the break when defender Mark Sexton nodded in a corner.

Dave Gibbs put BAA further ahead in the second half but a late goal from Valley had them on their toes.

BAA manager Tommy Gribbon is now lobbying the BFA to hold the final at the National Stadium, the traditional venue before the competition was dropped for a number of years. Failing that he will ask that it be played at BAA's own pitch which is also the home pitch of MR Onions.

Currently the final is packaged with the reserve final at Wellington Oval.

Asked about his side's prospects against MR Onions, who are reigning Commercial league champions he said: ?It will be a good game. It's quite evenly matched. It will be down to who wants it the most.?