Christmas goodwill was brushed rudely aside as North Village romped to victory over PHC yesterday -- and grabbed a crucial slot in the Dudley Eve Trophy.

Their win squeezed out Dandy Town, Hotels, and Boulevard, who were all battling it out for the fourth-team spot in the contest.

And it was no more than the Red Devils deserved.

In a fiercely-fought confrontation, they turned on the heat from the outset.

The early skirmishing at Bernard Park suggested there was little to separate two well-motivated teams.

But it soon became clear the hard graft of midfielders Kevin and Elliott Jennings would play a critical part.

And it was no surprise when diminutive midfielder Clinton Caisey fired North Village into the lead in the 13th minute.

Kevin Jennings headed down to Caisey, who found time to direct his shot from around 25 yards out.

It was a perfect strike, which sent the ball curling into the left-hand corner of Carlyle Crockwell's goal.

Caisey was in the thick of things just eight minutes later, when he found himself in a great scoring position, but unable to make it count from just five yards.

PHC also had their chances, most of which revolved around an all-action Sammy Swan, who had a cracking game.

The striker ran tirelessly all afternoon, and in the 27th minute found himself clear, with only Davis to beat.

Unfortunately, Swan made a hash of it, hitting the ball straight at Davis' legs.

In the 32nd minute, Village plundered another goal, after Philip Clarke rammed the ball home from just five yards.

Three minutes later, Stephen Coddington received a yellow card for a foul on Michael Trott, but Village soon regained the momentum.

Again it was Elliott Jennings at the centre of the action, sweeping the ball across the left side of Crockwell's goal.

Village should have scored again in the 42nd minute, when Clarke tried to round Crockwell, but allowed the PHC 'keeper to smother the ball.

PHC's best chance of the half came in the 44th minute when substitute Mills was unable to find the gap through Village's defence from just eight yards out.

Soon after the restart the Zebras brought on Winston Trott for Shawn Simons in a bid to lend fire to their attack.

And in the 62nd minute they should have opened their account when Frank Ming connected with a Swan free kick.

Sadly, the midfielder's header lacked power and direction, with the ball bobbling harmlessly away from Davis' goal.

The one blot in Village's day was a late injury to Castle, who was stretchered off with a suspected broken arm.

PHC: C.Crockwell; D.Outerbridge, R.Lewis, M.Dill, D.Douglas, O.Steede, F.Ming, S.Ming, M.Trott (K.Mills, 40 mins), S.Swan, S.Simons (W.Trott, 54 mins).

North Village: C.Davis; K.Grant, C.Castle (K.Binns, 94 mins), S.Smith, M.Hansey, K.Jennings, E.Jennings, S.Coddington, C.Caisey. P.Clarke, P.Simmons.

Referee: Roddy Burchall.

Men of the match: Elliott Jennings (North Village); Sammy Swan (PHC).

UNDER CONTROL -- Village's Shawn Smith and Kevin Grant, partially hidden, combine to thwart PHC's young Shawn Simons at Bernard Park yesterday. Village won 2-0 to clinch the fourth and final Dudley Eve Trophy spot.