Unlike fellow referees Leroy Wilson and Lyndon Raynor, who have opted to quit at the end of the season because of the violence in soccer, Anthony Mouchette is adopting a wait-and-see attitude. Mouchette is remaining steadfast in seeing the season through before re-evaluating his position despite being hit by a bottle allegedly thrown by Boulevard's Haile Outerbridge during an FA Cup semi-final two weeks ago.

But he points out that should anything similar happen to him, or if any other major disturbances involving a referee occurs on the field, he will not hasten to bow out of the game immediately.

"I really have given the matter a lot of thought,'' he said. "Right now I think I am going to carry on and see what happens between now and the end of the season, but I would quit if a similar incident happens to any of our officials.

"If it happens to me I will definitely quit, but right now I am concentrating on seeing the season through to its conclusion because the referees association are short and in need of all the help they can get.'' Mouchette has aspirations of attaining greater heights in the game, with ambitions to follow in the footsteps of fellow policeman and current Bermuda Referees Association president Stuart Crockwell by gaining FIFA status.

Mouchette has been refereeing for about 10 years and is currently rated a Class One. At 36, he is aware that he has just four years remaining in order to qualify to become a FIFA listed official.

"I certainly do have aspirations to become a FIFA referee -- right now I am a FIFA assistant, but I really would like to go further. However there may come a time when I will have to decide what is best for me,'' he said.

"It's has been the toughest season as far as violence is concerned. I haven't been taking account of all of the ejections etc. but the acts of violence have been most noticeable.'' The departure of promising referees like Wilson and Raynor will be a great loss to local soccer, something that the sport will find it tough to tolerate, according to Mouchette.

"As I see it the loss of any of our regulars like Lyndon and Leroy will put a severe strain on our association because you will be losing two experienced officials, one a first class and the other a third.

"Both have been around for a while and have made vast contributions. It will indeed be a sad state of affairs if they were to leave,'' he said.

"It may come a time when I have to look at my state rather than what state the BRA would be in if I were to depart. I will have to look after my welfare.

I will have to look out for what is in my best interest.'' Sports mailbox, Page 27 PHC 2 St David's 0 PHC earned a place in the Shield final this season by scoring a 2-0 victory over a spirited St. David's in Tuesday night's semi-final at Somerset. Duval Wilson got the opener after just five minutes while Kenny Mills followed up with the second seven minutes before the interval.

The match-up between the two top Second Division sides was highly contested with the heavily favoured league champions who just recently gained promotion, never allowed to relax.

With the second promotion spot within their grasp and certain to be claimed when they are away to Ireland Island on Sunday, St. David's played as though this game was the ultimate.

After trailing 2-0 at the half they fought back bravely in the second half, but some brilliant goalkeeping by PHC's Quincy Hunt combined with missed opportunities by striker Lionel Cann prevented them scoring.