NO one can quite work out why Prospect coach Earl Basden proclaimed: "That's the tie I wanted" after his Division One side drew North Village in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

The sheer folly of that statement could well be proved this weekend as the perennial cup specialists begin the final countdown to the Triple Crown on Sunday at Police Field.

North Village were already clearly the top side in the country at the time of the draw for the last eight ? a position they have strengthened even further over the past three weeks when they got their hands on the first two pieces of silverware on their list.

The Bernard Park trophy cabinet is already brimming with polishable items, with the Charity Cup ? won last September ? sharing space with the Premier League crown and the Friendship Trophy.

But expectations have risen so high now for the Reds that only a fourth trophy, and the one that completes the coveted Triple Crown, will suffice for the Village faithful.

There is talk that management duo Dwayne (Streaker) Adams and Maceo Dill ? who, let's not forget, are new to this game and don't come with a pedigree nor a whole raft of coaching badges ? may rest a couple of their key players ahead for this relatively 'soft' tie, but given the merciless attitude they have shown in putting 16 past Ireland Rangers over two games this season, who's to say they won't be on cut-throat form again.

Prospect, who as recently as within the last two weeks had to pull out of a league game because of a player shortage, are not expected to provide the most robust opposition and only a rich man with more money than sense would be putting money on a Prospect victory.

Other ties are tougher to predict.

In the opening game of the day at Southampton Oval, Southampton Rangers and last year's beaten finalists Hamilton Parish will battle it out to see which lower division team will take their place among the big boys in the final four.

Parish are most certainly FA specialists while recently-relegated Southampton Rangers can more than hold their own in any game, making this a tough tie to call.

In the two all-Premier ties, PHC take on a Dandy Town side who will be desperate for some trophy action.

PHC may have limped to another midtable Premier Division finish, but they do have the players on their day to beat any of the top sides. Town, who have been somewhat overwhelmed by the Village goldrush, are a side never to be underestimated, particularly when Carlos Smith is on form ? and he likes scoring in cup games.

League whipping boys Ireland Rangers, meanwhile, have the pleasure of a trip to Devonshire Rec. where they will be looking to make the most of their late-season renaissance against the Cougars.

The reality, however, is that a side filled with such gems as Domico Coddington, Kwame Steede and Aljame Zuill are unlikely to let a team with a losing record like Rangers get anything from them.