Devonshire Cougars 1 Wolves 3

The individual brilliance of Mark Smith, which so significantly lifted Devonshire Cougars to Martonmere Cup success a month ago, proved a false dawn yesterday as Wolves marched into the FA Cup quarter-finals after a deserved triumph at Devonshire Recreation Club.

Stung into action by an outrageous effort from the dreadlocked midfield player on 10 minutes, Wolves responded decisively with two goals in six minutes by Nakia Smith before substitute Anthony Webb settled the nerves with a precise strike near the end.

Though outplayed in the main, Cougars had their chances but were foiled either by Wolves `keeper Michael Higgs or poor finishing, with Raymond Beach and Maxwell Dill the biggest culprits.

Dill started at the heart of the Cougars defence, alongside Dennis Eve, in the absence of the injured Shawn Smith and Galvin Butterfield, and that was where the home side looked vulnerable from the outset. Eve's complacency nearly cost him when he was caught in possession in the ninth minute, but Chae Simmons' shot came back off a post.

Wolves then suffered the indignation of conceding in Cougars' next foray as Smith tried his hand from 25 yards out. Higgs, acrobatic though he proved to be later on, was left motionless as the ball flew into his top right corner. Three minutes later Higgs did well to parry a deflected free kick by Smith before his team kicked into gear.

Simmons and Vince Minors were a constant threat from the flanks for Wolves, with Smith and Peter Sampson, in a withdrawn position, keen to pounce in the middle where Cougars were hesitant. They were brought back on level terms in the 16th minute when Smith was played behind a flat back line, sidestepped Cougars goalkeeper Ricardo Brangman and scored from a tight angle. Six minutes later, Cougars' defence was breached again and Smith finished with great aplomb on the end of a cross from the left.

Simmons, twice, and Jared Peniston went close for Wolves before the half while Mark Smith, in another spellbinding moment just before the interval that resulted in a flashing shot wide, showed that he still carried menace.

Higgs produced a fine double save, amid protests that the ball crossed the goal-line, to deny Beach in the 51st minute and soon after tipped over a curling free kick by Heys Wolffe. From the corner, Beach played in a ball that Dill should have directed in from close range, but his header lacked conviction and Wolves survived a goalmouth scramble.

Wolves should have settled it in the 63rd minute when Nakia Smith was presented with his easiest chance on the end of a Simmons cross, but the header from close range was disappointingly wide. It looked like Cougars might make them pay for this miss with five minutes remaining when Beach turned his man and had a clear view of goal. The youngster's inexperience told, however, as he snatched at the opportunity and never threatened the goal from 12 yards.

Webb's goal was a classic example of hitting the target, and came out of the blue, given that he did little right after replacing Sampson with 17 minutes left. It was a firmly-struck side-footer from 18 yards out on the left that curled in from outside the far post with Brangman flailing.

Devonshire Cougars: R.Brangman; E.Richardson, M.Dill, D.Eve, C.Smith; K.Saltus (M.Dill, 43 mins), M.Smith, K.Goddard (L.Tota, 71 mins); H.Wolffe, R.Beach, C.Darrell (A.Minors, 64 mins). Substitutes not used: L.Durham, L.Richardson.

Wolves: M.Higgs; T.Trott, S.Waldron, J.Simmons, T.Davis, K.Parfitt; C.Simmons (R.Ebbin, 83 mins), P.Sampson (A.Webb, 73 mins); J.Peniston, N.Smith, V.Minors. Substitutes not used: C.Durrant, J.Douglas, L.Ming. Booked: Parfitt.

Referee: Lyndon Raynor.

Men of the match: Mark Smith (Cougars); Michael Higgs (Wolves).

St. David's 3 Tuff Dogs 2

(after extra time)

A goal by skipper Kevin Lambe after 106 minutes enabled home team St. David's to survive this FA Cup encounter at Lord's yesterday.

Lambe snatched the late winner to deny the courageous Commercial Leaguers from earning a deserved replay after they had worked hard from start to finish.

Tuff Dogs stunned St. David's by taking a 2-0 lead by the interval, grabbing the upper hand early when an own goal by Michael Simons gave them a 1-0 lead after 28 minutes.

They ran hard at their First Division opponents for the remainder of the half and took a 2-0 at the break when Jamal Lovell got their second two minutes before the half.

St. David's clawed their way back into the game after 72 minutes when Desmond Crockwell beat two defenders and slammed the ball home past the advancing goalkeeper, and then six minutes later the same player snatched the equaliser when he rose to head home a corner kick.

For the rest of regulation time neither team had any clear scoring opportunities, but once the match entered extra-time it was the home team who seized the opportunity to end it, Lambe converting after a rebound from a shot by Crockwell.