for optimism ahead of tonight's Friendship Trophy tie following a gritty performance against Dandy Town on Sunday which earned them their first league point.

Sunday's 1-1 draw convinced the St. David's players they need not fear their Premier Division opponents as, even with 10 men, Town failed to score in the second half.

Now coach Eugene Crockwell will be expecting another battling performance when they travel to Devonshire Rec. to meet Wolves in the first match of the Friendship competition (kick-off 8.00).

"It means a lot because it really shows, as far as I'm concerned, that yes we can compete,'' said Crockwell of Sunday's draw against a favoured Town team.

"It's taken us six games to bring out the character and show we can compete.

Even the players themselves are very pleased. Getting the point is a starting point for us and we'll take it.'' And though the Friendship isn't one of the team's priorities, this is still a match St. David's are determined to win, for they know a victory against an inconsistent Wolves can only further boost the team's confidence.

"Every match for us must be of the same calibre that we produced on Sunday,'' Crockwell stressed.

"Eliminate the fact that it's the Friendship, it's a football game and we must be able to compete. Because of our predicament it's important that we improve in every game.'' St. David's played the entire second half on Sunday with a man short but managed to hold on for a share of the points. Crockwell was particularly pleased with the way his defence played under pressure as Town piled players forward.

"We haven't been taking our chances,'' said the coach. "Between Otis (Minors) and Chae Simmons we had a chance but the communication was off a bit.

At the same time we defended better. We proved with 10 men that we can defend.

"I don't want to count chickens before they hatch but at the same time with the performance on Sunday and against PHC in the game that we lost, it showed character within the team.'' St. David's are keeping faith with the players who got them into the Premier Division this season and they will have learned enough not to take Wolves lightly, as they were hammered 5-0 at Devonshire Rec. in their second league game almost six weeks ago.

And after they conceded 18 goals in their first five games, teams have been lining up to improve their goal difference.

Otis Minors will be missing tonight because he is off the Island but St.

David's have Del Hollis returning from suspension.

Wolves blew a good opportunity to win on Friday night when an error by goalkeeper Hewvonnie Brown in his first match resulted in the corner from which Southampton Rangers scored their equaliser in injury time.