MR Onions have joined Commercial A Division rivals Robin Hood and Key West Rangers in the second round of the Bermuda Football Association Challenge Cup without having to kick a ball.

Onions were due to take on Prison Officers tomorrow at Malabar in the second match of an FA Cup first round double-header in the West End. But it was learned yesterday that Prison Officers could not field a team and, as such, were left with no alternative but to forfeit the cup tie to their Commercial Division counterparts.

?We have been struggling to field a team for various reasons this season,? explained Donald Norford, speaking on behalf of the team yesterday.

?Last Saturday we only had seven players and only on a couple of occasions have we been able to field 11 players. But the nucleus of the team cannot make it this weekend, including myself. Three players will be travelling overseas and one or two are injured . . . so we are struggling with numbers at the moment.?

Currently rooted at the bottom of the Commercial Division ?B? standings, the West Enders have only one win to their credit so far, a slim 3-2 triumph over Pest Control at Malabar on October 5.

?Basically it?s the unavailability of players that is hurting us the most and we don?t have a big squad,? added Norford, a former top cricketer at Devonshire Recreation Club.

?We only have a handful of players and it?s sad that the bulk of our players just cannot make it this weekend.?

Prison Officers? loss will be Onions? gain as they automatically advance to the next round of the prestigious competition.

Onions team captain Steven Smith said he wasn?t surprised to learn the match had been scrapped, given Officers? current plight.

?The main thing is that we were told beforehand and we didn?t turn up to the ground expecting to play and then they (Officers) only show up with six or seven players,? he said.

?We actually were worried that was going to be the case because we have seen reports that they had not been able to field a full side. So it is disappointing because the lads like to play football, but on the other hand we go through to the next round without breaking a sweat.?

With the likes of Hood and Rangers already through to the second round, Smith is hoping his team will receive the luck of the draw and get paired against another Commercial Division outfit when the names of all FA Cup first round winners are thrown in the hat.

?You just never know and it will be very interesting to see who we get drawn against in the next round,? said Smith. ?So this is a bitter/sweet occasion, but now we will be keeping our fingers crossed and just wait and see who we pull out of the hat.?

Meanwhile, in tomorrow?s match of the day, Premier Division clubs Somerset Eagles and Boulevard will do battle at White Hill Field in a contest that could go either way, while another Premier club, Devonshire Cougars, are heavily favoured over First Division St.David?s at the Den.

At BAA Field, current First Division leaders and 2000-01 FA Cup champions Devonshire Colts will be looking to get the better of Ireland Rangers for the second time this season, while Wolves meet Paget in another all-First Division encounter at the Den.

Elsewhere, Lobster Pot take on Tuff Dogs at White Hill Field in an all-Commercial Division affair and Pest Control meet Valley FC at Malabar.

Premier Division club and newly crowned Martonmere Cup champions North Village received an FA Cup first round bye.