relegation-threatened Boulevard. ..in the same week that Albert Smith stepped down as coach.

Results have not been going Boulevard's way since they stopped Vasco in the season-opening Charity Cup and that was the reason behind Smith's decision to quit, after less than a full season in the job.

Former player Vernon Symonds has agreed to take over the hot seat and his immediate task will be to steer the club to safety and thus protect a proud record. Not since they were last promoted in 1984-85 have Boulevard been in the Second Division, having enjoyed one of the longest runs in the top flight.

In fact, only North Village, the only club never to have been in the Second Division, and Dandy Town have had a longer run. Town have not been back in the Second Division since 1983.

Boulevard spent the 1980s establishing themselves as one of the Island's top clubs and the '90s winning trophies -- 11 in total -- including two league, four Martonmere and four FA Cup titles. It would be a severe blow to the club to end the decade back in the Second Division.

"We believe we can survive if we win some more games,'' said the club's top player Dwight (Payback) Warren after Sunday's win over Wolves which kept them within reach of Devonshire Cougars who also won.

Boulevard's only previous victory was against bottom team Hamilton Parish on November 15 and while the performance was not impressive, Warren felt the win would boost the team's confidence.

"We're going through a transitional period, we lost a lot of key players,'' said Warren, 30, who is in his 13th season in the Boulevard first team, all of them in the First Division.

Warren's flair was sorely missing from the team on Sunday because of a bruised muscle in his foot. But he was on the bench helping out trainer Gary Smith and generally lending support to the cause.

With no league matches over the next two weekends because of the visit by the Denmark under-21 team (Sunday and next Tuesday) and then the All-Star matches, Warren should be back in the team when they resume league play against Somerset Trojans on February 7.

"The team as a whole feel we can survive,'' says Warren. "We're not thinking negatively, we're thinking positively so that we can respond in a positive manner.

"The challenge is before us. I believe we can pull it off.

"This victory, regardless of how it came, is a booster for us. It puts a lot of confidence back into the team.'' Cup action tonight at BAA Field sees North Village playing Southampton Rangers in the Friendship Trophy at 9.00 and Prospect taking on St. George's in the 7.00 Shield opener.

No more night matches have been scheduled for St. John's Field while the quality of their floodlights is investigated. The February 2 Friendship and Shield matches have been switched to Devonshire Rec.

Meanwhile the Crystal Palace quarter-finals have been put back to February 14, the same date as the FA Cup quarter-finals, while the Alliance Knockout Cup semi-finals are scheduled for Devonshire Rec. this Saturday. Boulevard will play Dandy Town at 1.00 and Southampton Rangers will meet PHC at 3.00.