Christmas and New Year -- but few wise men will put their money on the Trojans lifting the trophy on New Year's Day.

For if there is one trophy the Trojans do not have any luck at winning it is this one.

The annual jinx is becoming too heavy to carry around and when they play their first match in the event tonight at Devonshire Rec (7.00) against Devonshire Colts they would appreciate not being reminded that they have failed to win in six appearances in the final, including last year when they were beaten by Boulevard over the two legs.

"I thought we should have won it last year,'' said Somerset coach Larry Hunt yesterday. "We were in control until the last few minutes. This is a tournament we haven't won and it's one of our goals (to win it).'' The Trojans rested midfielder Randy Simmons and striker Rodney Bascome for Sunday's match against Hamilton Parish, which they won easily, and with Kenny Thompson back from school to boost their ranks and Dennis Brown likely to return during the holiday tournanment, the west-enders could be in good shape in the next week and a half.

"We're taking one game at a time but hopefully we can win our first two games and go straight into the final,'' said Hunt. "We want to have our strongest squad possible.'' Hunt said he does not dwell on the fact that the team keeps failing to land this trophy. "We're trying to look at it on the positive side,'' he said.

Somerset's second-choice goalkeeper Cordell Gilbert got some playing time in the two recent matches with Hamilton Parish, with Winslow Williams being preferred for the PHC match. Williams could get the nod for tonight's clash with Colts, who are determined to bounce back after a draw and a loss in their last two outings.

Colts have been without Ellington Weldon, Keenan Burchall, Quincey Aberdeen and Chris Wright in recent matches and their injury problems could hold the key to their success. Colts have the distinction of being the first winners of this cup in 1979 but have won it only once since then in 1982-83.

The NCAA ruling, which does not allow for players to play domestically during the Christmas break apparently applies to Marvin Lewis, who has been back for some weeks, and Shannon Burgess.

Depending on the injury situation Colts player/coach Lorenzo Symonds could be forced into action in this tournament. He came on as a substitute on Sunday against Boulevard and appeared to have sprained a muscle in his leg.

In the two years they have been back in the First Division, Colts have moulded a promising young team and before their weekend loss to Boulevard were joint leaders with Somerset.

Hamilton Parish president Allan Smith opened a letter from the Bermuda Football Association and got the Christmas present the club had hoped for -- the points from their abandoned match on November 29 against St. George's.

St. George's also received an undisclosed fine after a spectator hit linesman Gladwin Lodge with a bottle in the 64th minute, forcing the match to be abandoned with St. George's leading 2-1.

The culprit, Devonshire Colts' Alliance Division player Brent Minors, has appeared before a BFA disciplinary committee and has been disciplined. The association would not reveal the action taken as the player has not been informed.

REGGIE TUCKER -- Trojan workhouse.