after the weather played havoc with yesterday's FA Cup third round ties.

The BFA's scheduling committee were forced to re-arrange the clash between Somerset Trojans and Boulevard for Tuesday night after yesterday afternoon's match at Somerset Cricket Club was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

It is a scenario officials would have been dreading following the fighting between rival fans which marred the floodlit league fixture between the two sides last month and led to the stabbing of a Police officer.

But with all of the Sundays between now and the FA Cup quarter-finals on February 15 booked solid with First Division matches, the Dudley Eve, and the All-Star matches, they were left with little option.

The match will now once again be under lights at Somerset Cricket Club, forming the second part of a series of double-headers on the same evening after heavy and prolonged rain the length and breadth of the Island permitted only two of yesterday's seven ties to be played to completion.

Two others were abandoned early in the second half -- one in controversial circumstances -- while two more in addition to the Somerset/Boulevard game were washed out. Devonshire Cougars and Prospect were already set to meet each other again after their match on Friday -- which itself only went ahead after a pitch inspection by referee Leroy Wilson -- ended in a 3-3 draw after extra-time.

Yesterday's 12.30 p.m. starts -- at PHC Stadium, where Vasco were meeting Hotels in an all-First Division encounter, and at Bernard Park, where North Village were entertaining Second Division St George's -- did get underway but succumbed to the unrelenting downpour.

At the latter, St George's were happy to be offered a second bite at the cherry and headed quietly to their dressing room when referee Gary Cook took the decision to abandon the game in the 52nd minute. North Village were less pleased: they were leading 2-0 at the time courtesy of goals from Kevin Jennings in the 14th and 42nd minutes and St George's had passed up a golden opportunity to get back into the match when Marco Lovell's 37th minute spot kick was saved by Gladwin Edness.

But Cook was left with little alternative when a Village player made three attempts to make a pass in midfield and advanced the ball less than 10 feet.

Meanwhile, at PHC, referee Stuart Crockwell kept the match going for just three minutes longer before admitting defeat with the score locked at 1-1.

Keith Jennings had given Vasco a 16th minute lead before sustained Hotels pressure paid off when centre-back Paul Towlson put through his own goal in the 41st minute.

The second part of the PHC double-header, between PHC and Devonshire Colts, didn't get started, along with the Dandy Town/St David's match scheduled for St John's.

In those matches that did last the allotted 90 minutes, Southampton Rangers and last year's runners-up Wolves became the first two clubs into the last eight with 4-2 victories over Paget and Hamilton Parish respectively. See Page 35.

The first round of the Dudley Eve has now been moved from Wednesday to Thursday to accommodate the rescheduled matches.

Re-arranged fixtures: FA Cup (Tuesday) At BAA Field -- Hotels v Vasco, 7.00 p.m Devonshire Colts v PHC, 9.00 p.m.

At Somerset -- North Village v St George's, 7.00 p.m.

Somerset v Boulevard, 9.00 p.m.

At Devonshire Rec -- Prospect v Devonshire Cougars, 7.00 p.m.

Dandy Town v St David's, 9.00 p.m Dudley Eve (Thursday) At Devonshire Rec -- Devonshire Colts v North Village, 7.00 p.m.

Vasco v Boulevard, 9.00 p.m.