Not since North Village achieved the feat in 1977-78 have a team won the triple crown -- league, Friendship and FA Cups -- in local football.

But league champions Vasco could move a step closer to that goal at White Hill Field tomorrow when they meet the Red Devils in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Before the Martonmere Cup came along in 1972-73 and the Dudley Eve in 1978-79, the league, Friendship and FA Cup were the three trophies that all teams aimed to win. Now Vasco have a chance of snaring all three in one season.

"We were trying to keep that low key and sneak through,'' admitted Vasco coach John Rebello yesterday. "Then every team would look to say `we've got to stop these byes, we can't allow them to make history'.

"People have been speculating in training, 15, 20, 25 years and I told the guys I figured it was Village back in the time when Punchy (Dill) and Gumbo (Bean) and those guys were playing for them.'' Village had a star-studded team back then, including the likes of goalkeeper Colin Paynter, Milgrove Romaine, Wendell (Joe) Trott, Wendell Baxter, twins Richard and Robert Calderon, Randy Bean, Arthur Bean, Cornell Castle and the other Dill brothers Cal and Parks.

Just how Vasco's present team matches up to that Village squad is open to debate. "We're trying to use it as a source of motivation,'' said Rebello of the triple crown. "In everything in life you get complacent when you go through what we've gone through with our unbeaten streak.'' Only three clubs have managed to win all three trophies in the same season -- Somerset, PHC and North Village. The Trojans have the distinction of achieving the treble on three successive occasions from 1968-70 before the Zebras followed them as triple crown champions in 1971.

It has now been 20 years since Village won all three and they will no doubt be happy to prevent Vasco from joining the exclusive club.

"If Vasco win it they obviously deserve it,'' said Village secretary Wendell Lindsay yesterday. "They haven't done it yet, but I won't have any qualms if somebody else wins it. Records only stand until someone rises to the occasion to equal or break them.'' With two trophies already in the bag, the league and Dudley Eve, Vasco are also aiming to surpass Dandy Town's three-trophy achievement in 1993-94 with double success in the two April finals.

That year Town won the league, Dudley Eve and Friendship before losing to Vasco in the FA Cup final. Vasco were also their opponents in the Friendship final.

Vasco have been far and away the best team this season and are unbeaten in 22 matches since losing to Southampton Rangers in the league and Boulevard in the Martonmere Cup final on successive weekends in November.