After a stormy off-season, St.George's Colts ran right into a another hurricane in their first game of the new campaign.

But skipper Stevie Dickinson promised the Colts would produce a better performance in their First Division season opener in two weeks -- despite last night's 7-0 loss to Vasco in a first-round Martonmere Cup game at BAA.

"Next time we play them, it's not going to be so easy,'' Dickinson vowed after watching Vasco pump five second-half goals past goalkeeper Rodney Burchall.

Vasco took advantage of Colts' disarray from the opening whistle and could have doubled their output with a little more accuracy in their finishing. As it was, they settled for hat-tricks from Cory Hill and new signing Sammy Swan and a single goal from Irving Burgess.

St.George's have lost three of their top players and have a new coach -- Earl Basden -- who was hired less than a month ago. Dickinson said the team weren't in game shape, had spent little time working together and would be bringing in additional players to shore up the squad.

"In two or three weeks, you're going to see a much stronger St.George's team,'' said Dickinson. "Our spirits are still high.'' 'Keeper Burchall could only be faulted on one of the goals -- Vasco's second, Swan's deflection slipping through goalie's hands in the 44th minute.

But by then Vasco had already begun stretching out a beleaguered St. George's defence. After staying with Vasco through a slow opening 15 minutes, St.

George's began to feel the pace.

Finally, in the 28th minute, Vorhees Astwood, who had fed team-mates for three close calls earlier, drove a 25-yard shot himself, with Hill swooping in from the wing to pump in the rebound.

It would've been 3-0 at the half but Carl Richardson shot wide from a 38th minute penalty, after Steve Arorash was brought down by Darren Walker deep in the box.

Despite a paint-peeling pep talk in the locker room, St. George's were hemmed into their half for the entire second half.

And Hill's magic was the difference. Given too much room down the left side, he sent a cross to Swan who nodded it in the top left corner in the 57th minute. Shortly after, his cute heel pass with his back to the goal allowed Burgess to rifle home from 10 yards.

Burgess returned the favour in the 73rd minute and Hill was able to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Neil Paynter's hand ball. Inbetween, Swan, who came over from PHC in the offseason, spun and fired a 20-yard left-footer past a diving Burchall five minutes from the end.

Vasco: Timmy Figureido, Derek Stapley, Kentoine Jennings, Shawn Smith, Carl Richardson, Vorhees Astwood, Steven Arorash, Sinclair Gibbons, Irving Burgess, Cory Hill, Dwight Basden, Trevor Dickinson, Caisey Taur, Franklyn Simmons, William Kirpatrick, Sammy Swan.

St.George's: Rodney Burchall, Andre Todd, Neil Paynter, Darren Walker, Andre Bassett, Dean Bailey, Duvall Smith, Jerome Laws, Anthony Darrell, Stevie Dickinson, Jade Minors, William Richardson, Shannon Outerbridge, Harry Matthie, Carlton Richardson, Clifton Simmons.

HAT-TRICK HERO -- Vasco's Cory Hill (right) attempts to get round St.George's defender Neil Paynter in last night's Martonmere Cup clash. Hill netted three goals in Vasco's 7-0 rout.