The last time Devonshire Colts appeared in an FA Cup final as a First Division outfit Houston Astros pitcher Mike Scott recorded his 1,000th strikeout, golfer Sandy Lyle captured the 52nd Masters and Evander Holyfield dropped Carlos DeLeon in the eighth round to lift the WBC crown.

Colts’ stalwart Shannon Burgess was just a teenager back then. But to this day he still has memories of his club’s loss to Somerset Trojans in a replay.

“At that time Devonshire Colts had a habit of getting to finals and losing and as a result were labelled bridesmaids,” he recalled. “But those years were tremendous because we had a group of guys that were committed to the team who stuck with the club during a period when it seemed as though disappointment was the norm. But this year we are going to try and make 1988 right.”

Overall Colts have appeared in 12 FA Cup finals, losing eight of them. And with victory over St.George’s Colts in tomorrow’s FA Cup semi-final at Somerset Cricket Club they can make it 13 and take another step towards becoming the first First Division club to lift the coveted showpiece.

“That is obviously in the back of our minds but we can’t get ahead of ourselves because we a realise that a major hurdle for us is a very determined St.George’s team,” added Burgess, who cancelled a trip to Thailand to be present for tomorrow’s assignment.

“Everyone is talking about the opportunity we now have. But we can’t get ahead of ourselves because St.George’s are determined. So we have to come focused and prepared to play.

“When you get this close to a final obviously you begin to sleep and drink it. And right now each of my players are dreaming of winning the trophy and making history.

“But St.George’s are coming into this match on a high note because they were the ones who dethroned the champions (North Village).”

Colts are also on track to clinch an unprecedented treble, having already sewn up the First Division league and Shield ‘double’. Ray Jones’ team have also beaten their East End rivals twice this season, and will look to continue their winning ways at the opposite end of the Island tomorrow.

Burgess remains cautiously optimistic.

“We can’t take what we have done in the past into this game. We need to realise that this is a one-shot deal and that if we don’t perform on the day we are going to be disappointed,” he said.

“A couple of their (St.George’s) players used to play for us and whenever you play against your old club obviously you want to get the better of them. And I think the last match that we played against them probably could’ve gone either way.”

St.George’s, meanwhile, are again pinning their hopes for success on divine intervention.

The East Enders attended church service before producing the competition’s biggest upset in ousting defending champions Village on their home turf last month, and tomorrow they will take the same route before kick-off.

They will be without suspended key striker Allan Douglas jr (three yellow cards), but coach Carlos Greaves, who believes in the power of prayer, is banking on the ‘12th man’ (God) to pull his team through.

“We beat Village with the 12th player. We pray and he shines the light and shows us the order that we have to walk in,” Greaves said.

Tomorrow’s Colts/St.George’s clash will be preceded by the women’s FA Cup semi-final pitting Prospect against cup holders Lady Cougars.