THEY may have avoided a Premier Division team in the draw, but Triple Crown-chasing PHC won't be taking First Division outfit Wolves lightly in the semi-final of the FA Cup next month.

The league-leading Zebras should wrap up the first part of the Triple Crown on Sunday when they travel to Bernard Park to meet a North Village side that could be involved in the title-deciding match for the second straight year. Last year the Rams travelled to Devonshire Rec. in the final game of the season needing only a point to be crowned champions, but went down 3-1 as Cougars sneaked the title from their grasp.

Now second-placed Village ¿ six points behind PHC and with two games remaining ¿ go into this important match knowing that a victory will probably only serve to delay the inevitable as Village can only now win the league on goal difference . . . on which PHC are 11 goals better!

Village's hopes rest with beating PHC by two or three goals and then hoping that third-placed Devonshire Cougars also defeat them next weekend. PHC would then have to improve their goal difference sufficiently in their final match against bottom team Ireland Rangers in order to win on goal difference. A tall order considering PHC's defence has conceded only eight goals in the league this season.

Certainly having come this close to a first league title since 2000, the Zebras won't miss the opportunity to end the season with the coveted prize. And if Village fail to deny them the league title, the Rams can still prevent the Triple Crown achievement as they will be PHC's opponents in the April 13 Friendship final. That is assuming PHC get past Wolves in the April 6 FA Cup semi-final. The draw may have been somewhat favourable for the Zebras but any team that can oust the defending champions (Devonshire Colts) deserves some respect.

"Either way it doesn't make a difference to the coaching staff who we played," said PHC team manager Cal Waldron during this week's semi-final draw at the BFA office.

"We're wary of the fact that Wolves did knock out the defending champions, so we're not taking them lightly. But at the end of the day we have to get past this round and we'll be in the final and one step from winning it. In order to get it we still have to win it!"

Wolves, chasing the promotion and FA Cup double like Devonshire Colts a year ago, have been to the final before when Dennis Brown led the then Second Division team to the final in his first season as coach. They lost 3-2 to Boulevard but Brown predicted then they would be back.

PHC won't get too sidetracked and will take one match at a time, Waldron says.

"This weekend is priority one, we need a maximum three points to finish off the league and then we will go from there and make preparation for the Friendship and then the FA," said Waldron.

"Kyle (Lightbourne) has the guys focused on Sunday and then the next game. The coach has always instilled playing good football and winning. I think every team starts off wanting to win the league and then whatever tournaments you enter you want to win, but now that we're at this point it is a matter of wrapping it up on a good note. If we get past Wolves we will still have Dandy Town or Boulevard so we want to make sure we are playing to our game plan."

While the likes of Town and Boulevard can only play for comfortable mid-table positions, Devonshire Colts, like PHC, still need a point to settled their own issue ¿ survival. Colts are four points clear of the second relegation spot and with two games left, so a draw against Somerset Trojans below them will confirm the west enders as a First Division team next season. Somerset need to beat Colts at Police Field on Sunday and then beat Dandy Town next weekend while hoping Boulevard defeat Devonshire Colts in their final game.

In Sunday's other two matches in the Premier Division, Ireland Rangers host Boulevard at Malabar while Dandy Town welcome Cougars to St. John's Field.

The First Division promotion race should be down to four serious contenders after this weekend. Wolves moved from fifth into a first place tie with St. David's ¿ an indication of how tight the race is ¿ but third-placed Southampton Rangers might just take the lead in the sprint for the finish. They are eagerly awaiting a BFA ruling on their March 7 match with Prospect which Prospect opted not to play. The points would put Rangers two points clear in the promotion race with two games remaining.

Rangers face a six-pointer on Sunday when they travel east to meet St. David's as two points separate the top five teams. Somerset Eagles, who have played one game more and are idle on Sunday, will be eliminated if two of the teams above them win on Sunday.

Wolves won 3-1 over bottom team BAA to move back into a promotion position but that was effectively their weekend match so they will be idle on Sunday and will have one match remaining. Hamilton Parish, the other team in the mix, need a win over a much-improved Social Club side to boost their promotion bid. That match has been switched to St. John's Field (12.30).

The other matches of little importance on Sunday see Prospect hosting St. George's and X-Roads taking on Paget.

In next weekend's crucial First Division matches, St. David's are away to neighbours St. George's, X-Roads meet Hamilton Parish, Somerset Eagles meet Paget, Rangers are away to Social Club and Wolves meet Prospect.

q Some 70 players and officials left Bermuda yesterday for a second straight participation in the Dallas Cup which begins on Sunday. The Bermuda Football Association has sent the Under-13, Under-14 and Under-15 national teams to compete in the Under-14, Under-15 and Under-16 age groups.

"We are subject to the Dallas Cup age bracket so the teams will be competing in the older age group,' explained Mark Trott, head of delegation, before the team's departure.

"It is great exposure, the teams are of the highest calibre. Our players know what they are in for."

The Bermuda teams will be accompanied by 16 team officials.