(Vasco win 4-3 on penalties) Vasco clinched the first spot in the Dudley Eve Trophy final at White Hill Field yesterday, after North Village lost out on penalty kicks at this stage of the competition for the third time in four seasons.

The loss means Village, already with injury problems, must now meet Dandy Town tomorrow night to decide the other place in the final, while Vasco enjoy a break until the first final on Saturday night at PHC Stadium.

History will be on Vasco's side, too, as since 1990 the the first team to reach the final has gone on to win the cup.

Vasco suffered an early setback in the penalties when Corey Hill started things off by shooting wide of Dwayne (Streaker) Adams' right-hand post. Sean Dill scored for Village to make it 1-0.

Village kept that lead when Shawn Smith scored for Vasco and Kimande Binns scored for the Red Devils. However, Village's luck changed when, after Kentoine Jennings netted for Vasco, Timmy Figureido in the Vasco goal saved low to his left the spot kick from Damon Wade.

That left the teams tied at 2-2 after three rounds and the tension began to mount after Karl Roberts scored for Vasco and Adams netted for Village when his spot kick went in off the inside of a post.

Earl Richardson, Vasco's main penalty taker, netted his team's last kick and the pressure was on Village's Derek Bell to tie it up at 4-4 and bring up sudden death kicks.

However, Bell shot wide of the post to seal his team's fate as Vasco's players celebrated reaching their second final of the season.

Both teams struggled through one of their more modest performances of the season during regulation time as the strong wind made play difficult, especially for Village in the first half.

With the wind at their backs, Vasco created most of the first half chances, which either went high or wide. Corey Hill wasted a couple of good chances for Vasco who started the match without the injured Irving Burgess and Karl Roberts.

Village badly missed having the experience of Elliott Jennings behind their attacking endeavours, as Wade and Dill carried the attack.

After a series of niggling fouls, Voorhees Astwood became the first booking in the 36th minute for a foul from behind on Binns. Village full back Wayne Augustus had his name taken five minutes later for fouling Dwight Basden .

From that resulting free kick on the right Kentoine Jennings glanced a header wide of the far post. Before the break Earl Richardson pushed forward and fired in a long range shot that went wide.

Village's best chance was saved for injury time when, after flooring Kentoine Jennings with an extended boot after a challenge for a loose ball, Sean Dill sidefooted wide of the far post from right in front of goal.

Vasco's fans were furious that referee Kenny Perinchief did not blow for the foul with coach John Rebello rising from the bench to shout his displeasure about the standard of the officiating, though his own conduct was not the best of examples to his players.

Vasco continued to look threatening on the break right after the restart but Village were also soon mounting their own raids as captain Damon Wade wasted a good opportunity to give them the lead after a ball through the middle put him clear but with a defender closing in and Figureido advancing, Wade steered his low shot wide.

Vasco had the ball in the net in the 62nd minute through a goalmouth scramble but it was ruled out for an infringment.

While the teams picked up the tempo in the final 15 minutes in the search for a late winner, it was left to penalty kicks to decide this third meeting of the season between these teams.

Village also lost on penalty kicks on Boxing Day in 1992 and '93 to Devonshire Colts and Dandy Town. Now Town stand between them and a place in the final for the sixth time.

Vasco: T.Figureido; E.Richardson, S.Smith, K.Jennings, D.Stapley; F.Simmons (K.Roberts 76 mins), S.Arorash, S.Gibbons (I.Burgess 72 mins), V.Astwood, D.Basden, C.Hill.

Village: D.Adams; K.Grant, M.Hansey, D.Bell, W.Augustus (W.Bassett 72 mins); K.Binns, R.Edness, L.Raynor, S.Franks (K.Smith 64 mins), S.Dill, D.Wade.

Men of match: Kentoine Jennings (Vasco), Michael Hansey (Village).

Referee: Kenny Perinchief.

Photos by Tamell Simons AGONY AND ECSTASY -- Shock shows on the face of North Village's Derek Bell (left) after his penalty miss allowed Vasco to win 4-3 yesterday. Timmy Figureido (right) reacts to saving Damon Wade's penalty.

KICK A LEG -- North Village full back Wayne Augustus gets the ball under control as Voorhees Astwood of Vasco closes in.