WHILE North Village have another week off to celebrate their Premier's Dudley Eve Cup success, the First Division winners of the competition, Hamilton Parish, will be back in action this weekend with a top match against fellow promotion-chasing side Wolves.

Parish's first success in the Dudley Eve hardly got the coverage given the Premier Division winners, but that goes with being a side outside the top flight. However, their early season success has not gone unnoticed by many and ¿ with the Premier Division teams not in action this weekend ¿ all eyes will be cast on their match with Wolves at Devonshire Rec. on Sunday.

Parish, like Village, went through the Dudley Eve unbeaten as they carried their league form into the Christmas tournament. The First Division leaders beat second-in-the-table Southampton Rangers twice in that tournament, albeit by the odd goal in the Boxing Day encounter and then on penalties in the New Year's Day final. They have established themselves as the team to beat in the division.

This season's promotion race is promising to be a wide-open battle with as many as five or six teams making a serious push for promotion to the Premier Division. However, Parish's unbeaten run and the five-point gap at the top means that the question being asked won't be 'which two' but rather 'who along with Parish'.

Wolves, whose draw with St. David's in their final league match before Christmas meant that they failed to qualify for the tournament they won last year, will take on the team that replaced them as champions. They will probably have to put up with some gloating from the Parish fans, but another day and another tournament means that Wolves will have the chance to gain revenge and bring Parish back down to earth.

If Wolves are to clinch one of the promotion spots they will have to take three points off the leaders, otherwise they will be even further behind the pack in sixth place. A victory, on the other hand, enables not only Wolves but Rangers, Somerset Eagles, St. David's and X-Roads to close the gap. Rangers, Eagles, St. David's and X-Roads are all on 18 points with Wolves a further point back.

Parish, under the guidance of player-coach Meshach Wade, have been going great guns since their 6-1 opening day victory over relegated Paget back in September and lead the pack with 23 points.

Form suggests Rangers, Eagles, X-Roads and St. David's will take maximum points from their games to stay within striking distance of the leaders. Rangers are away to Prospect while St. David's host second-from-bottom Paget who have been finding the going rough back in the First Division since their relegation last season along with St. David's.

Eagles face a potentially tricky visit to Wellington Oval to meet a St. George's side that could make a late push for the second promotion spot. They are just five points out of second place and a couple of early wins could add another team to the mix. X-Roads should remain in the hunt with victory over bottom side BAA who are yet to gain a point.

All the matches begin at 3 p.m.

***

Schedule

First Division: X-roads v BAA (Garrison Field); St. David's v Paget (St. David's); Prospect v Southampton Rangers (Police Field); St. George's v Somerset Eagles (Wellington Oval); Wolves v Hamilton Parish (Dev. Rec).

Women's Division: St. George's Lady Colts v Lady Cougars (Wellington Oval 12.30); Somerset Hurricanes v Prospect (Somerset 3.00); Dandy Stars v North Village Lady Rams (St. John's 3.00).

Under 18: PHC v North Village (S.Oval); Dandy Town v Boulevard (St. John's); BAA v Somerset Eagles (BAA Field); Somerset v Southampton Rangers (Somerset). All games start at 12.30.