Keith Jennings sank his former team with a hat-trick that makes certain that Vasco aren't the first team eliminated from the Dudley Eve for the second straight year.

Fresh off the under-23 tour of Florida, the midfielder led Vasco into the winners bracket of the double elimination tournament with three well taken goals. The result leaves Village having to beat PHC on Sunday to stay in the competition.

In fact he could easily have been "credited'' with the Village goal, which came off his back from his brother Kevin's shot and deflected into the roof of the net.

That goal in the 24th minute served to wipe out Vasco's fifth minute lead which Jennings gave them after smashing home a cross from the left by Chris Anderson.

Whether Kevin's scorcher from a shot 25 yards from goal would have found the net in the 24th minute is debatable. The ball was headed towards the far post but it struck Keith in the back before hitting the roof of the net.

The goal brought Village right back into the game as for most of the remainder of the half they did the bulk of the attacking as Kevin Jennings was instrumental in Village's raids after switching to the left flank.

Neil Robinson went close to putting Village ahead in the 38th minute when he used his speed to get through the Vasco defence before a low and hard shot to the far post was just wide.

This physical match was producing its share of bumps and bruises as Kentoine Jennings got a cut near the right eye and younger brother Keith finished the half injured behind the Village goalline. Vasco were then down to 10 men early in the second half for several minutes while a bandage was wrapped around Jermaine Belboda's head.

Then Kevin Jennings went off on a stretcher with what looked a serious leg injury, but fortunately he returned minutes later.

Keith struck his second goal in the 66th minute when he ran onto a through ball from what looked to be an offside position. When the linesman's flag stayed down, Jennings kept his cool to beat Gladwin Edness as his shot found the net despite Edness partially blocking the ball.

That goal knocked Village off stride as the closest they came to a second equaliser was when Dwight Warren shot over the bar from a freekick.

Vasco had another injury when Vasco struck their third goal. Dwight Basden lay injured on the edge of the box as the play went on around him with Jennings completing his hat-trick with a shot that went in off a post.

On the same ground where they suffered a 4-2 loss to Devonshire Colts only five days before, Vasco were now in full control and almost added a fourth goal in the last minute when substitute Clay Smith showed some delightful skills to set up Basden who shot against the post with the 'keeper beaten.

Vasco: T.Figureido; W.Augustus, D.Sharrieff, C.Roberts, J.Belboda (C.Smith 76min), K.Smith, Kei.Jennings, C.Anderson (K.Burchall 67min), I.Burgess, D.Basden, S.Gibbons.

Village: G.Edness; R.Spence, R.Edness, Kent.Jennings, M.Dill (K.Dill 76min), J.Thomas, D.Warren, T.Outerbridge, Kev.Jennings, N.Robinson, L.Simmons (E.Jennings 46min).

Referee: Lyndon Raynor Men of the match: Keith Jennings (Vasco), Kevin Jennings (Village).

Yellow cards: Jawan Thomas, Kentoine Jennings (Village), Jermaine Belboda, Kuma Smith, Irving Burgess (Vasco).