A packed house at Bernard Park were left to wonder what all the hype was about leading up to yesterday's FA Cup semifinal between Boulevard and Dandy Town as both sides left much to be desired in playing to a scoreless draw.

Even the inclusion of "imports'' Devarr Boyles for Town and Boulevard's Cleveland-based midfielder Kevin Smith failed to inspire their clubs in what had been billed as a "battle of the elite''.

Missed opportunities were not the exception, but rather the order of the day as each team had chances to put the match away, Dandy Town in the first half, while Boulevard squandered numerous efforts in the second.

A despondent Mark Trott, coach of Town, said after the match: "Chances don't win games...goals do. At half-time we should have been ahead 3-0.'' Chief culprit in this multitude of early misses for Town was striker Dennis Robinson, who gave a clinic on how not to finish.

On no less than three occasions the striker appeared dumbfounded when presented with clear paths toward the Boulevard goal.

First in the 11th minute, Walter Musson and Pernell Douglas combined in midfield with the latter threading a pass up the middle to Robinson for a one-on-one confrontation with goalkeeper Mitchell Steede. But Robinson's shot rebounded off the legs of the 'keeper.

However, this was not the end of the attack as Neil Paynter picked up the loose ball and crashed a low grounder against the left upright.

Robinson's next miscue came 27 minutes into the match when his attempted lob of Steede from 18 yards drifted well wide with an open goal beckoning.

The dubious hat-trick of failures was completed by Robinson two minutes before the half. An horrendous goal-kick by Steede landed at the feet of Robinson 19 yards away from goal. But instead of shooting the forward choose to dribble in closer allowing centre-half Wayne Richardson to recover and rob him of possession.

While much of the spotlight fell on Robinson and Dandy Town in the opening stanza, where they served to hold much of the territorial advantage, Boulevard were not out of the match by any means.

At the 13-minute mark Smith fed a ball to Dwight Warren and observed as he side-stepped last man Wayne Campbell before unleashing a left-footed shot that Ricky Tucker did well to turn away for a corner.

Again, in the 36th and 41st minutes, it was Smith showing himself as he first struck wide following a wall-pass from Warren and then he redirected a right-wing free kick by Dean Boyles that brought out a fine reflex save by Tucker.

Tensions were running high as the half neared with both benches extremely vocal, exhorting their troops on in hopes that they might grab an advantage.

Town were easily the better squad at this point. Musson, Robinson and Carlos Smith had all been able to exploit weaknesses in the Boulevard defence behind fine support from midfielder Pernell Douglas.

On the other hand the Blazers were clearly lacking in imagination up front with most attacks ending up in the safe arms of Tucker or with a booted clearance by Paynter.

However, a completely different script was unveiled during the second half as the tide shifted.

Warren's tireless work up front began to reap dividends -- although not in the form of a score -- and Town were pinned in their half by an unrelenting Blazer assault.

Tucker punched away a floating cross by Warren in the 50th minute and this was followed up 10 minutes later when full-back Vernon Eve weaved his way past defenders before having his shot deflected for a corner.

At the other end Carlos Smith miskicked from five yards in the 69th minute with desperation setting in for both teams.

Nevertheless, it was left to Kenny Hill to waste the most golden of chances when he took advantage of Campbell's misjudgement of a long ball from Dean Boyles on the right to get in a free header inside the penalty area, only to have it crash off the crossbar.

From this point -- and perhaps much earlier -- the match seemed destined for a replay and overtime produced little to change that assumption.

"It just wasn't there for us today,'' said Blazer coach Gary Mallory. "But we have a chance to do it again. We just have to pick our play up a bit.'' The replay is set for tomorrow night at Devonshire Rec. (8.00).

Dandy Town: R.Tucker; W.Rudo, W.Campbell, N.Paynter, L.Christopher; P.Douglas, Devarr Boyles (G.Johnson, 90 mins), P.Cann; W.Musson, D.Robinson, C.Smith (L.Cann, 74 mins).

Boulevard: M.Steede; V.Eve, L.Stevens, W.Richardson, Dean Boyles; C.Pearman, A.Smith, K.Smith (B.Anderson, 72 mins); D.Warren, N.Robinson, K.Hill.

Referee: Rex Osborne.

Men of the match: Ricky Tucker (Dandy Town); Dwight Warren (Boulevard).

DENNIS THE MENACE -- Dandy Town's Dennis Robinson, left, had a torrid time in front of goal yesterday. Here, he tries to get around Leroy Stevens.

KEVIN SMITH -- In from Cleveland, Ohio, for the big match the former Bermuda international is challenged by Town captain Lloyd Christopher.