League champions Boulevard will be hoping a new competition will bring about a change of fortune when they take on Southampton Rangers in the Friendship Trophy tonight at Somerset (9.00).

Boulevard, who have yet to win in the league so far, last recorded a victory in the Martonmere Cup semi-final when they beat North Village 1-0 on November 1. They managed to win all three of their matches on their way to the final but have not been able to transfer that form into the league where they have drawn five of their six games so far.

Both they and Southampton Rangers will be looking to bounce back from weekend performances, Boulevard drawing with Devonshire Colts and Rangers going down to North Village.

Top scorer Janeiro Tucker, with seven goals for Rangers this season, will be Southampton's key marksmen along with Kwame Tucker and Tillman Darrell who marked his first full game for the club with his first goal of the season.

Boulevard will rely heavily on the likes of Dwight Warren and Stevie Wade for their goals.

The match will be preceded by a women's FA Cup tie between BAA and Dandy Stars.

In women's matches on Friday at Devonshire Rec., BAA Telecom came from 1-0 down at half-time to beat PHC teasers 5-1 while in the other match Dandy Stars and Rude Girls drew 2-2. Dandy Stars also missed a penalty.

With three points at stake for a victory, the four places for the popular Dudley Eve Tournament over the Christmas holidays are still up for grabs, with three matches still remaining.

Unless Vasco fade badly in the next three weeks, they are certain to seal one of the four places as only Somerset out of the top four can finish higher than them by the halfway stage of the season. Vasco should make certain of their spot this weekend when they meet last-placed Somerset Eagles, but it is quite possible that none of last season's participants, champions Somerset, Dandy Town, PHC and Boulevard, will qualify.

Vasco's two remaining matches after that are against North Village, presently second, and third-placed St. George's. If it stays that way towards the end of the season the championship should have a thrilling finish with Vasco meeting those two teams in their last games.

However, at the rate they are going, Vasco could have the title wrapped up long before then as few teams have looked like beating them. Already they have picked up 16 of a possible 18 points to open a four-point lead over Village in second place.

Village, St. George's and Southampton Rangers are leading the chase for the three other Dudley Eve places, with Somerset, Dandy Town and PHC the other contenders.

Village close out their first half of the season against St. George's, Vasco and a still sleeping Dandy Town outfit. St. George's play Rangers and Vasco in their other two matches while Rangers follow up a home match this weekend against Devonshire Colts with matches against St. George's and PHC.

Village, St. George's and Rangers will be looking for about six points from those three matches to fend off the challenge of Somerset, in particular, who can still finish the half with 17 points -- provided they win their next three matches against Town, Boulevard and Devonshire Colts.

The Dudley Eve competition will begin on Wednesday, December 20 with further dates being Boxing Day, December 28 and December 30 and January 1 for the two-leg final.

Sunday saw the most goals scored in the First Division this season -- even though one match finished scoreless. A total of 22 goals were netted as St.

George's recorded the biggest win of the season (6-1 over Somerset Eagles) and Clay Smith became the first First Division player to score a hat-trick.

Five goals came from each of the other three matches as Vasco trounced Somerset 5-0, PHC edged by Dandy Town 3-2 and North Village stopped Southampton Rangers 4-1.

The previous highest number of goals in the First Division on a single weekend was 20 on the October 29 weekend when no less than three goals game in each of the matches.

FRIENDSHIP RIVALS -- Boulevard captain Stevie Wade (left) will be hoping to help get his team back on their feet in the Friendship Trophy against Randy Simmons (centre) and his Southampton team at Somerset.