While Vasco and Southampton Rangers could seal promotion back to the First Division in their next couple of matches, the championship and relegation issues in the top flight are promising to go right down to the wire.

Four rounds of league matches remain but the weekend results established little in terms of who might emerge as the new champions, as Devonshire Colts regained the top spot with their win over Somerset Trojans. At the other end of the table, last-placed Hamilton Parish now look certain for the drop with the other spot to be decided between last season's two promoted teams St.

George's and St. David's, and Hotels who eased their worries with a win over Parish.

Devonshire Colts, if they do not go on to win the league for the first time since 1972-73, will reflect back on some dropped points, most notably their two losses to St. George's Colts and a draw against Hamilton Parish. By the same token, though, they are the only team to beat Somerset twice in the league. It has been that sort of season! And with just two points separating the top five teams the 1992-93 campaign is shaping up for a dramatic finish.

"It's in our hands,'' said Colts player/coach Lorenzo Symonds who has done a lot in the last couple of seasons to return Colts to the dizzy heights they reached in the 1970s. "If we win every game nobody can beat us. At this point if we can keep winning we're on course.

"We want to finish in the top three -- the year before we were in the top six -- and it looks like we're on target for that. Now we're trying to win the league and not just be in the top three.'' Had Colts lost on Sunday they would have dropped to fourth in the standings, tied on points with PHC and Dandy Town. That win on Sunday could go a long way towards deciding the championship. "I put more pressure on them to realise how important it was,'' Symonds explained. "But at the same time I wanted them to be relaxed and not too tense to not be able to perform. Some of the players felt I might have put a bit too much pressure on them.'' Teams are continuing to assess their championship chances, taking into consideration who they have left to play, though no matches will be easy in the sprint for the finish because teams already relegated have been known to act as spoilers.

A look at the remaining matches suggests that Dandy Town have the easier road in the run-in with just one match against a fellow title contender -- that being against Devonshire Colts on the last day of the season following matches against St. George's, North Village and St. David's.

Devonshire Colts' final matches also include a meeting with Boulevard while Boulevard also have to meet Somerset and PHC, both away, in what looks to be a tough schedule.

Defending champions PHC certainly cannot be counted out on the home stretch while Dandy Town look determined to go all the way.

At the bottom of the table, Hotels, with a two-point lead over St. George's and four ahead of second-from-bottom St. David's, meet PHC, Devonshire Colts, St. George's and North Village in their final games while St. George's play their final four matches at home against Dandy Town, St. David's, Hotels and their tenants Hamilton Parish who are actually the home team.

St. David's must meet two of the title contenders, Somerset and Dandy Town before taking on St. George's in their final match of the season, which could decide the second relegation spot.

Parish, now with only a slim chance of surviving, play St. David's, St.

George's, Somerset and Boulevard to complete their season.

LORENZO SYMONDS -- Hoping for better thand just a top-three finish.