Devonshire Colts now find themselves in a dogfight just to qualify for the popular holiday competition.

This Sunday will be crunch time for Colts as they and five other clubs -- Boulevard, Dandy Town, North Village, Southampton Rangers and Hotels -- look to claim a place in the top four.

Defending champs PHC, currently second from bottom, have already lost all hope of defending their crown.

Vasco lead the tables with 19 points, followed by Boulevard with 16 and then Town with 15. Tied on 14 are Village and Colts with Southampton trailing two points behind on 12 but with a chance of grabbing a Dudley Eve place if Village and Colts lose.

Even Hotels (11 points), with a 3-0 win over Colts tomorrow, could qualify if other results went their way.

In fact, so tight is the race that qualification may eventually be deciced on goal average.

Colts are away to Hotels at Southampton Oval and skipper Shannon Burgess will no doubt sound the same words of encouragement to his squad as he did last weekend prior to their 1-0 victory over Cougars. That message was about being "more committed and not looking to put the blame on anybody else but themselves''.

But Hotels rocked previous leaders Boulevard 1-0 last week and are capable of doing similar damage to Colts if the latter don't heed Burgess' call.

Village travel to the west end to play Somerset Trojans and also face a tough task.

Village didn't get to the Dudley Eve last year but Kenny Thompson's young squad have made sound progress this season.

"Looking at the Dudley Eve, you can analyse it from a few ways. Obviously you want to be in the top four and earn the right to play in the tournament. But then again, playing in it can sometimes hinder the team's progress for the second half of the season because you don't have a rest,'' said Thompson.

"Still, we intend to go out to win the game against the Trojans, and if it means that we qualify then we have to go out and try to win each game in the Dudley Eve simply because that's our responsibility to soccer ... to try and win every game.

"Somerset are always difficult opponents. The fact that they are third from the bottom of the table means nothing. On any given day they can beat any team in the league and we realise that it's going to be a hard match for us.'' Southampton, meanwhile, have what appears to be the easier task when they make a short trip to PHC to play the lowly Zebras, who are reeling this season following the departure of several key players.

The visitors are on a impressive winning streak and with Rohaan Simons and Herbie Dillas spearheading their attack, they should pose plenty of problems for a leaky PHC defence.

At Lords, second-placed Boulevard host third-placed Dandy Town, both aware that any slip-up could cost them their spot in the Dudley Eve.

Boulevard will be anxious to prove that they have shaken off any effects from last Sunday's loss to Hotels, but they will be hard pressed against a Town team that has finally started to play to its full potential after a sluggish start to the season.