Four teams will run the gauntlet tonight at the National Sports Centre.

But only two will live to tell the story and keep their Premier's Dudley Eve Cup hopes alive.

Zebras, in pursuit of a second title this season, and Hornets clash in the nightcap (9 p.m.) aware that anything short of victory will effectively bring down the curtains on their cup hopes and their shot at the $3,000 winner's purse.

PHC were beaten 1-0 by a resourceful North Village, bolstered over the festive period by an influx of college kids, while Hornets were edged 2-1 by Devonshire Cougars.

But having had ample time to lick their wounds, tonight's combatants now have the chance to inject life in their fading cup hopes with the eventual victor advancing to meet Cougars in the loser's semi-final, also at the NSC on Sunday.

Hornets ended Zebras' impressive unbeaten streak for the season earlier this month and on that result will enter tonight's pivotal cup clash with their tails up — despite a more recent 2-1 loss to a Cougars side that now has a bit of soul searching to do if they are to appear in an unprecedented fourth successive Dudley Eve final.

Somerset Trojans, Town and Cougars are the only clubs to have appeared in three Dudley Eve finals on the trot.

The above will also be applicable to Somerset Eagles and St. David's Warriors in tonight's First Division Dudley Eve opener at the NSC (7 p.m.).

Very little has separated these two clubs this season, a trend that should continue tonight. A plethora of missed opportunities came back to haunt Kenny Thompson's rolling-in-the-dough Eagles just over a week ago at the Den.

The Islanders also slumped to defeat in their opening cup clash, just barely on penalties against Hamilton Parish on home turf, and can ill afford another slip if they are to take on Southampton Rangers in Sunday's semi-final at the NSC.

With victory over the Big Cats on Boxing Day, Elliott Jennings' Rams now have the next five days to plot a course in the hopes of landing a first Dudley Eve title in seven years and a fifth overall.

Sizzling Hot Peppers also took route one to next week's final after edging Rangers 2-1 on Boxing Day at Wellington Oval.