It was a massacre of the innocents.

Ruthless Dandy Town carved up a young St. David's side with chilling ease yesterday, with the eight-goal bloodbath ending the Islanders' slim hopes of avoiding relegation.

But for the rampaging league leaders the win hoisted them three points clear of North Village.

To clinch the title they now only need draw when they square up against Village in two weeks.

Yesterday was a chance for Town to put on a brutal demonstration of their skills against a side in the early stages of rebuilding.

Front men Carlos Smith and Darren Simons proved particularly devastating as they ran rings around the St. David's defence.

Devarr Boyles and Kris Martin were also in dominating form.

Six goals up at half time, it seemed Town were going to run up a cricket score. But some agile keeping by St. David's 16-year-old substitute goalie Scott Tucker spared them that embarrassment.

Town, too, seemed to grow tired of the uneven contest.

The rampage of slaughter at St. David's began as early as the second minute.

Kris Martin drew first blood by firing home from the edge of the 18-yard area.

Darren Simons then made it two with a deft turn in the penalty area to defeat St. David's hopelessly out-of-sorts keeper Sydney Minors.

The 14th minute goal was followed by a swaggering penalty by captain Lloyd Christopher.

Referee Frank Drayton pointed to the spot in the 24th minute after Garic Swainson handled the ball.

Christopher took two short strides and slotted the ball to Minors' right.

Boyles banged in the fourth goal in the 27th minute after smartly linking up with Carlos Smith.

And it was Smith who pounced six minutes later after a passing movement between Christopher and Pernell Douglas.

Smith drilled the ball past Minors from about 12 yards for his 15th goal of the season which tied last season's top tally of 15 by Ellington Weldon of Devonshire Colts.

St. David's coach Garrett Dill immediately replaced Minors with Tucker, allowing the teenager his debut. It was a baptism of fire for the youngster as in the 35th minute Lionel Furbert slammed home number six.

With a tongue-lashing from Dill ringing in their ears, St. David's put on a far better showing in the second half.

Dale Fox and Reginald Pitcher picked up the pace, urging their teammates on.

Tucker showed he had a good pair of hands, but was unable to stop a blistering 14-yard drive from Smith in the 66th minute which took his tally for the season to 16, two more than Weldon in second place.

Smith by now had run out of breeze to complete a hatrick and was replaced by Walter Musson in the 74th minute.

Substitute Troy Lewis finished Town's goal tally in the 80th minute with a close-range shot after Tucker was left hopelessly exposed by his defence.

The rout left St. David's coach Garrett Dill looking to the future.

"We are a very young side and were clearly out of our depth today,'' he said.

"But I think we have a good future. We are in the process of rebuilding.'' Town coach Mark Trott was charitable in victory: "St. David's never gave up,'' he said.

St. David's: S.Minors (S.Tucker 32 mins); S.Robinson, S.Pitcher (R.Smith 83 mins), E.Crockwell, R.Pitcher, D.Fox, S.Jones, G.Swainson, M.Tucker, J.Laws, O.Minors.

Dandy Town: C.Davis; L.Christopher, W.Rudo, W.Campbell, T.Durham, D.Boyles (T.Lewis 73 mins), K.Martin, L.Furbert, P.Douglas, D.Simons, C.Smith (W.Musson 74 mins).

Referee: Frank Drayton.

Men of the match: Scott Tucker (St. David's), Carlos Smith (Dandy Town).