Behind an overworked defence Troy Hall kept his fifth clean sheet of the season as the visitors failed to capitalise on the greater number of chances at Wellington Oval.

The draw leaves Colts in fourth place and a just a point away from securing the last Dudley Eve Trophy spot.

But yesterday's point was more welcomed by a St. George's team who continue to struggle in the goal-scoring department.

For the fifth time in eight league matches they have failed to find the net, and with the exception of a few isolated raids, they seldom troubled the Colts defence.

Instead, St. George's were forced to show why they possess one of the strongest defences in the First Division as Colts began mounting raids as early as the first minute when they forced their first corner.

But even without the injured Phillip Bailey and the suspended Franklyn Greaves, the St. George's defence stood up to whatever Colts could throw at them. Again, captain Neil Paynter was dominate in the heart of the defence where he played alongside Quinton Francis.

Paynter had his team's firt real chance of scoring in the 11th minute when he drove a free kick from the left wide of the far post.

A minute later referee Stuart Crockwell, just recently upgraded to grade one, was forced to stamp his authority when he ordered St. George's manager Carlos Caisey off the bench after he protested when an obvious foul was called on Devonshire Colts full-back Leonard Hypolite.

Hypolite, busy and creative on the left side, laid on a good chance for his captain Ellington Weldon in the 24th minute but the shot from close range was deflected for a corner by Paynter.

At the other end, Dwayne Richardson lifted a shot over the bar after the hard-working Jan Cieters provided the cross from the right. With the wind at their backs, St. George's began to put Colts under some pressure late in the first half as Marlon Outerbridge had a shot blocked in front of goal by Hypolite just before the break.

While Greg Foggo and Melvin Simmons were ineffective in the St. George's front line, Weldon and Quincey Aberdeen never gave the home side's defenders much time to rest.

Colts started the second half the same as the first, on the offensive, as Weldon turned and put a shot wide as Colts tried to capitalise on the wind advantage.

Minutes later, a low cross from the right by Aberdeen saw Paynter's outstretched leg deflect the ball just wide of the near post for a corner.

The first substitution of the match came in the 64th minute when Keishon Smith came on for Germaine Burt for Colts. In the 75th minute, Donald Whitfield replaced Simmons in the St. George's attack.

St. George's trainer Cal Dill was kept busy with injuries to Quinton Francis, Foggo and Cieters with the latter aggravating his knee injury in the 88th minute when he stretched for a high ball. He limped off and was replaced by Carlos Greaves in the 90th minute.

St. George's hung on in four minutes of injury time to seal their second draw of the season and protect their unbeaten home record.

St. George's: T.Hall; D.Bailey, N.Paynter, Q.Francis, A.Todd; S.Gibbons, J.Cieters (C.Greaves, 90 mins), M.Outerbridge, D.Richardson; G.Foggo, M.Simmons (D.Whitfield, 75 mins).

Devonshire Colts: A.Lightbourne; D.Williams, D.Wright, J.Samuels, L.Hypolite; G.Burt (K.Smith, 64 mins), H.Trott (V.Ball, 78 mins), M.Ray, J.Belboda, E.Weldon, Q.Aberdeen.

Referee: Stuart Crockwell.

Men of the match: Troy Hall (St. George's); Leonard Hypolite (Devonshire Colts).