Finally, after 18 failed attempts, Devonshire Colts got it right! That is how many times Colts have lost in a cup final since their last triumph 16 years ago. On Sunday they ended that losing run with a deserved 2-0 victory over Vasco in the Friendship final.

Losing has become a habit for Colts who, the record show, have lost five Martonmere finals, six Friendship finals, five FA finals and two Dudley Eve finals. From a team that for so long have been the bridesmaids, Colts can now go into Sunday's FA Cup final against Dandy Town with a better than even chance of landing their second title for the season.

Even acting Deputy Sports Minister, John Barritt, made mention of Colts poor record when he presented them the trophy on Sunday, saying " ...now that you're the brides, you've got a match next week, don't be too long on hte honeymoon.'' The comment met with a loud response from the Colts players who saw the humour in it, but captain Shannon Burgess also admits there will be little time to savour the victory before work begins for the FA final.

"Yes, I think our coach is just going to give us a day to enjoy this and then it's back to business,'' Burgess acknowledged afterwards.

"We came up to the end of the season knowing that we had two finals but we couldn't look at it like that, we had to take it one at a time.

"We came together as a team today. We went to church this morning, we had a lot to talk about and the minister said we had a date with destiny. He said if we play together no one can defeat us, and we came out and played for 90 minutes and we did it.'' From a 7-1 hammering at the hands of Vasco just seven day prior, Colts came out the more determined team and never let Vasco back in the game after taking a 2-0 lead early in the second half.

Keishon Smith, who played for Bermuda against DC United five days earlier, had a hand in both goals as Colts won their first knockout cup in 16 years.

"Against DC United I was playing a disciplined role, doing a lot of defending so I wasn't able to get forward,'' said the midfielder. "Today I wanted to get forward to try to help my team get the goals we needed.'' Now Colts, who lost to Vasco in last year's FA Cup final, can upstage the league champions by winning two trophies for the season.

The last time Colts appeared in the Friendship and FA Cup finals in the same season, 1992-93, they lost both when North Village beat them in the Friendship and Boulevard stopped them in the FA Cup. But now times have changed and a third FA Cup triumph is well within their reach! DEVONSHIRE COLTS' CUPS OF SORROW FRIENDSHIP TROPHY 1983-84 -- Vasco 1 Dev.Colts 0 1984-85 -- Boulevard 3 Dev.Colts 2 1988-89 -- Somerset 1 Dev.Colts 0 1989-90 -- PHC 1 Dev.Colts 0 1992-93 -- North Village 2 Dev.Colts 1 1995-96 -- St. George's 1 Dev.Colts 0 Previous victory: 1973-74 -- d Hotels 3-1 DUDLEY EVE 1996-97 -- PHC d Colts 2-0 on agg 1997-98 -- Vasco d Colts 1-0 on agg Last victory: 1982-83 d Somerset 1-0 on agg MARTONMERE CUP 1973-74 -- North Village 2 Dev.Colts 1 1974-75 -- North Village 3 Dev.Colts 2 1978-79 -- North Village 2 Dev.Colts 1 1993-94 -- Boulevard 3 Dev.Colts 2 1998-99 -- Dandy Town 1 Dev.Colts 0 Last victory: 1972-73 -- d Somerset 3-2 FA CUP 1975-76 -- Somerset 2 Dev.Colts 1 1983-84 -- Southampton 2 Dev.Colts 0 1987-88 -- Somerset 2 Dev.Colts 1 1992-93 -- Boulevard 4 Dev.Colts 1 1997-98 -- Vasco 2 Dev.Colts 1 (aet) Last victory: 1973-74 -- d Warwick 3-0