Dandy Town 0 North Village 0 (Town won 5-3 on penalties) One of the pre-tournament favourites will not make it to this year's final after Dandy Town ruined expectations of a Village-Boulevard final by booking the first spot in the two-leg final on Boxing Day at Somerset.

Sunday's win means that North Village, if they are to reach their fifth final, must take the long route which includes a clash with Boulevard today at BAA field. And while Town will have an opportunity to rest until Thursday night, the winners of Village and Boulevard face a gruelling week which sees them playing three matches between today and Saturday.

"Dandy Town deserved to win, we were flat with no enthusiasm and no commitment,'' Village coach Andrew Bascome admitted after Sunday's loss. "We defended well, otherwise it would have been over in regulation.

"The better team on the day won and we're going the long way now.'' Bascome knows another flat performance against his former team-mates today will kill Village's dreams of a first Dudley Eve triumph since 1987-88.

"We've got to be prepared to play,'' he said. "We got a good win in the first match (against Colts) but we played awful today.

"We have to be ready for them. Boulevard always play with enthusiasm and if we don't play well we won't see the final.'' Village held their own for long periods of Sunday's match but Town, with sustained pressure for about the last half hour of the match, saw them emerge the better side.

Both 'keepers, college student and Bermuda international Dwayne (Streaker) Adams and Cymande Davis, were outstanding. However, Davis, who left Village for Town at the start of the season, had more to smile about at the end, as his crucial save from Damon Wade during the penalty kicks separated the two teams.

Kris Martin, a thorn in Village's side during Town's late flurry, scored the first of the penalty kicks before Derek Bell drew Village level.

Referee Frank Drayton adjudged 'keeper Davis to have moved before the kick was taken and Bell scored at the second attempt.

Troy Durham scored Town's second penalty before Davis made another save, this time legitimately, when he went to his left to save Wade's kick.

Every other penalty was scored after that as Town notched all five of their kicks -- Wayne Campbell, Wylie Rudo and Walter Musson got the others -- while Ricky Hill and Elliott Jennings tried to keep Village in contention. Davis also got his hands to Hill's kick but could not keep it out.

Town were unlucky not to have wrapped up the match late in regulation time as Carlos Smith put an effort just wide after getting on the end of a Kris Martin cross in the 72nd minute.

Twice, in the late eight minutes, Town almost broke the deadlock.

First Rudo's long range lob had Adams scrambling back before he tipped the ball superbly over the bar. Minutes later Martin robbed Bell on the left side and got in a good cross to the far post where Musson put a gentle shot straight at Adams.

Village went closest to scoring in the second half in the 70th minute when Rahji Edness had a left-foot scorcher turned around a post by the diving Davis.

Town: C.Davis; L.Christoper, W.Campbell, T.Durham, W.Rudo; P.Douglas, K.Martin, T.Lewis (D.Boyles 71 mins); P.Cann, C.Smith, W.Musson.

Village: D.Adams; D.Bell, Ken.Jennings, I.Romaine, W.Bassett; E.Jennings, D.Wade, R.Edness, M.Dill, S.Dill (R.Hill 64 mins), Kev.Jennings.

Referee: Frank Drayton.

Men of the match: Cymande Davis (Town), Dwayne Adams (Village).