Marlon Lindsay came up big in his team's biggest game of the year.

The Hotels striker has shouldered much of the criticism for the club's anaemic attack but put that aside yesterday when he scored the two goals that ensured a place in the First Division next season.

In one of closest relegation battles the Bermuda Football Association has seen, Hotels needed to win yesterday at BAA Field -- and hope either Somerset or Cougars lost in order to avoid a trip back to the Second Division.

Somerset did their part with a stunning 1-0 defeat to North Village but it was up to Lindsay to help Hotels do something they had failed to do in seven of their 17 previous league games: Score.

Lindsay got the one that mattered after 14 minutes yesterday then added an insurance marker five minutes from the end, both times set up by Dennis Robinson.

For a team who had found the net just 13 times this season, Lindsay's pair was a veritable bonanza.

The game was a meaningless one for Colts but they played with emotion and even had a considerable edge in play. But, as as has been their bugaboo all season, they were seriously let down in the finishing department.

A woeful challenge from Jahmal Samuels gave Lindsay far too much room for his first goal and he cracked a 20 yarder into the top right corner. On the second goal, Lindsay merely had a tap-in after Dion Wainwright sent he and Robinson in on a two-man breakaway.

Colts: Thomas Smith, M.Hollis, D.Wright, S.Burgess, J.Samuels, V.Ball, K.Smith, M.Ray, J.Belboda, Tito Smith (K.Lawrence, 73 mins), R.Jones (E.Waldron, 73 mins).

Hotels: S.Dupres, D.Sharrieff, F.Francis, C.Roberts, W.Augustus, M.Holdipp, C.Sabir, J.Weeks (C.Crichlow, 57 mins), M.Lindsay, D.Robinson, S.Gair (D.Wainwright, 76 mins).

Referee: Leroy Wilson.

Men of the match: Marlon Lindsay (Hotels); Mark Ray (Colts).

North Village 1 Somerset 0 Kevin Jennings scored the only goal of the game in the 38th minute to send the Trojans into the Second Division.

Coming off a memorable 1-0 victory over champions Vasco on Wednesday, Somerset only needed a draw against a middle-of-the-table Village team to stay in the Island's premier loop. Instead they were blanked.

Jennings scored from an indirect free kick, his shot deflecting slightly off the Somerset wall.

Dandy Town 2 Boulevard 0 Dandy Town settled the race for runners-up in the First Division with their victory at St. John's Field.

Their goals came from two of their most senior players, Reggie Tucker and Paul Cann. By taking maximum points, Town were able to beat Boulevard for second place, six points behind Vasco.

Wolves 2, Social Club 1 Wolves won the Second Division league title yesterday, but they had to sweat it out by coming from behind to hand Social Club defeat at PHC.

Spearheaded by two second-half goals from teenager John Barry Nusum, Wolves clawed their way back into the game against a Social Club team that was by no means overawed by opponents who had already clinched promotion to the First Division.

Social Club snatched a 1-0 lead on a goal by Dalton Bean after 25 minutes. But Nusum levelled it for Wolves after 56 minutes and added the winner two minutes later.

The slim victory enabled Wolves to win the title by a superior goal difference over the other promoted side Hamilton Parish who squeezed by with a 2-1 victory over St. George's.

At Lord's, St. David's hammered a nine-man Prospect team 6-0 with Shane Weeks leading the assault with a hat-trick.

More soccer, see Page 26 Photos by Tony Cordeiro PUNCHED OUT -- With a trio of Hotels players threatening, Colts goalkeeper Thomas Smith punches clear. His team still lost 2-0 yesterday.