After many near misses in the past, St. George's have finally done something they have never managed before -- qualify for the Martonmere Cup.

And though the second half at Frog Lane should have been a breeze for them - after leading 2-0 against a Colts team that had also been reduced to 10 men -- it was anything but that as the home team showed that playing short-handed doesn't have to be a handicap.

In the final calculations they managed their best finish -- fifth -- since the late 1960s after both Vasco and PHC lost their final matches, though Vasco still qualified for the Martonmere.

St. George's looked the hungrier of the teams from the outset and it took them just six minutes to break the deadlock.

Left-back Dean Bailey did the work down the flank and when his cross was missed in front of goal by Jerry Laws the Colts defence failed to clear, leaving Melvin Simmons to convert with a firm shot that goalkeeper Randy Darrell got his hands to but could not keep out.

It got worse for Colts in the 17th minute when defender Jay Bean was ejected for swearing at referee Roddy Burchall.

Colts played their best football with only 10 men on the pitch as a clever freekick in the 21st minute opened the St. George's defence as Hypolite ran into the box. However, Dean Smith at the far post only managed to sidefoot Hypolite's cross over the bar.

Simmons almost added a second goal for St. George's in the 31st minute when he intercepted a pass 35 yards from goal but his firmly hit shot rose just over the crossbar.

A second goal did come in the 37th minute as Colts were caught flat at the back by a through ball by midfielder Duval Smith for Simmons. When Simmons' effort was blocked by keeper Darrell, winger Donald Whitfield followed up and unselfishly crossed to the far post when Marlon Outerbridge finished off the move.

Instead of St. George's adding to the lead in the second half, they found their opponents more determined. And when Craig Smith pulled a goal back in the 50th minute with a low shot past Troy Hall, it set the stage for an interesting finish.

An incident in the 60th minute should have served as a wakeup call for St.

George's who came agonizingly close to throwing away their lead.

A Colts freekick on the left side, just outside the box, was taken by Craig Smith. And while keeper Hall expected him to curl his left-foot shot towards the near post it went over the wall and smashed against the crossbar as the keeper was beaten.

Dev.Colts: R.Darrell; D.Smith (V.Ball 53min), Jermaine Belboda (D.Zuill 74min), J.Bean, K.Burchall, Jermel Belboda, L.Hypolite, D.Ming, R.Jones, E.Weldon, C.Smith.

St. George's: T.Hall; D.Bailey, P.Bailey, Q.Francis, A.Todd; M.Outerbridge (R.Hill 74min), D.Smith (H.Bascome 53min), C.Greaves, J.Laws, M.Simmons, D.Whitfield.

Referee: Roddy Burchall Men of match: Leonard Hypolite (Dev. Colts), Dean Bailey (St. George's).