DEFENDING champions PHC Zebras and the 2006-07 cup winners, Devonshire Colts, will meet in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in late February.

The two Premier Division teams were the last names out of yesterday's draw at the Bermuda Football Association office which saw Boulevard and Southampton Rangers drawn against the two remaining First Division sides, Prospect and Somerset Eagles.

The top match will be the one at Bernard Park between North Village and Dandy Town. The teams are meeting in their second cup quarter-final in just over a month, following Town's recent win over Town in the Friendship.

Zebras are probably relieved to avoid the likes of Village, Town and Boulevard in the draw, but after needing extra time to get past First Division side Somerset Trojans last weekend, Kyle Lightbourne's side will certainly won't be taking Colts lightly. And neither should they as Colts are the only First Division team to win the FA Cup, something they achieved two seasons ago.

Somerset Eagles, who took over the top spot in the First Division on Wednesday night, could produce the upset on February 22 when they take on Southampton Rangers at White Hill Field while Prospect have home advantage against Premier Division side Boulevard.

DRAW

Women's FA Cup elimination:North Village Lady Rams v Prospect (Bernard Park, 12.30).

Men's FA Cup quarter-finals: Prospect v Boulevard (Police Field); Somerset Eagles v Southampton Rangers (White Hill); North Village v Dandy Town (Bernard Park); PHC v Dev. Colts (Southampton Oval). All matches start at 2.30.

After another break last weekend for the FA Cup, league action resumes on Sunday with three teams chasing the top spot in the Premier Division. The lead changed hands again recently when Dandy Town took over top spot after beating former leaders Devonshire Cougars. However, with one point separating the top three teams, and North Village going through a resurgence under new coach Shaun Goater, it would appear the title race is only now beginning to take shape.

Town, who recently won the Dudley Eve title, are going through a good patch lately, as they recently defeated Cougars in the FA Cup to reach the quarter-finals.

However, Cougars and Boulevard on 15 points, both know that the title race is only now beginning to take shape with six matches still remaining. Cougars will be counting on three points from bottom team Devonshire Colts at Police field to stay in contention, while Boulevard face a North Village aiming to carry their cup form into the league and close the five points separating them from the leaders.

A few weeks ago Town would have been a safe bet for all three points against Hamilton Parish, but the Hot Peppers have surprised many by climbing to fourth in the tables and should be taken seriously when they travel to St. John's field on Sunday to meet the division leaders.

Parish started the season with survival as their main priority and they are well on the way to achieving that goal as they are now eight points clear of the second relegation spot currently occupied by Southampton Rangers. However, they probably still need at least two more wins in their final six league matches to be certain of survival.

Colts have only managed to pick up two points from eight matches and with eight points separating them from safety it is difficult to see them climbing out of the bottom two in the next couple of months. Player-coach Aljame Zuill watched from the sideline last weekend when Colts narrowly defeated Robin Hood in the FA Cup, but his goals will be crucial if they are to pull off the great escape.

In the other Premier Division match, Southampton Rangers meet PHC in a Southampton Oval 'derby' which could have a huge bearing on the relegation issue.

Presently just three points separate the two teams near the bottom of the table and the Zebras will be determined not to be drawn into a fight for survival. Victory for Rangers will surely have the likes of Parish, Village and PHC looking very nervously over their shoulders.

Going into Wednesday's two make-up First Division matches only one point also separated the top three teams. It got even tighter as Somerset Eagles defeated St. George's for the first time this season to take over top spot and with a game in hand, while Somerset Trojans closed the gap on the two east end teams with a 2-0 victory over X-roads.

Eagles now lead the tables by two points over St. David's and three ahead of St. George's and with a game in hand over both teams, while the Trojans, fourth, are now three points behind St. George's and with a game in hand.

The lead may change hands again on Sunday as Eagles face a tricky away match with unpredictable Ireland Rangers. Eagles are perfectly placed to set the pace going into the home stretch and will be looking to continue their good run.

St. David's should get maximum from lowly Paget at White Hill Field while St. George's make the short journey to Garrison Field to meet X-roads in a derby encounter. The former leaders have been rocked by successive losses to the Trojans and Eagles and cannot afford to drop more points.

The Trojans should keep the leaders in their sights with victory over Social Club at Bernard Park while Prospect play BAA in the other match at Police Field.

Schedule

Premier Division: Dev. Colts v Dev. Cougars (Police Field); Dandy Town v Ham. Parish (St. John's); Southampton v PHC (Southampton Oval); Boulevard v North Village (BAA Field).

First Division: Paget v St. David's (White Hill); X-roads v St. George's (Garrison Field); Ireland Rangers v Som. Eagles (Malabar); Prospect v BAA (Police Field); Social Club v Somerset (Bernard Park 3.00). All other matches start at 12.30.

l The BFA yesterday confirmed Devonshire Rec. and BAA Field as the venues for the Friendship and Shield semi-finals. The first matches will take place on Tuesday night at Devonshire where St. George's and St. David's meet in the 7.00 Shield opener, followed by North Village and Southampton Rangers in the Friendship tie. St. David's are the defending Shield champions while Village are the Friendship holders.

The second semi-finals will be held on Wednesday, February 11 at BAA Field where Eagles and Trojans meet in the second Shield semi-final and PHC take on Boulevard in the Friendship.