Devonshire Colts' failures in cup finals over the last few years have been well documented, but yesterday at the National Stadium it all came good for them with their first Friendship Trophy success in 25 years.

Goals seven minutes before and after the break by Makonnen Hollis and Aljame Zuill stunned league champions and last year's Friendship winners, Vasco, as Colts avenged last weekend's crushing 7-1 loss in the league. It also gives the team a psychological boost for their second straight appearance in the FA Cup final this weekend when they take on Dandy Town.

This game clearly had more importance attached to it than last weekend's last league match as Colts came into the match having lost their last six Friendship finals stretching back to 1976. They last won the Friendship two years before that and they were clearly a happy and relieved bunch when captain Shannon Burgess received the trophy from acting Shadow Minister for Sport, John Barritt.

"We had a stronger team this week,'' said Burgess after the match. "Last week we were disorganised, we didn't have enough jerseys and when we got there we weren't mentally prepared to play. When we went down 2-0 we started bickering amongst ourselves and our midfield stopped doing their job.'' Colts welcomed back goalkeeper Troy Hall, Hollis, Derek Wright and Nathan Samuels, while Vasco's gamble to play last weekend's two-goal hero Kentoine Jennings in a more attacking role again backfired this time as he presence was missed in the middle of the defence.

They also missed the presence of Otis Steede in midfield yesterday while the returning Dwight Basden and last weekend's hat-trick hero Sinclair Gibbons were ineffective as the Colts defence kept them quiet.

The game might had turned out differently had Meshach Wade converted an early chance when, from a long kick upfield by Timmy Figureido, the ball broke free to him outside the box but his shot was put wide in the fifth minute.

Soon Colts were right back in the thick of things and were soon running things as Keishon Smith and Derek Wright were busy in midfield.

But it was Vasco who almost took the lead against the run of play in the 18th minute when a cross into the box by Diallo Sharrieff -- starting because Dennis Robinson arrived late -- was parried away at the far post by Hall only to see Gibbons miss the target with his shot.

Hall made a good save a few minutes later, turning a shot from Wade around the post for a corner. At the other end Laws shot inches over the bar as Colts went close again.

The goal that opened up the game came in the 38th minute when Hollis got on the end of Keishon Smith's near post corner to tuck a diving header into the near corner.

Vasco are known to battle back but before they could manage an equaliser, Colts doubled their lead in the 52nd minute when Smith supplied another cross during a move down the left side and Zuill scored with a low strike into the bottom far corner.

Colts were determined not to let Vasco back into the game and it was an anxious last 20 minutes for them as their opponents kept battling. Vasco made a tactical change on the hour when they brought on Dennis Robinson for Sharrieff.

But instead of Jennings switching back into defence he went even further forward as Vasco threw caution to the wind by playing just three at the back.

A good diving save from Figureido to a shot from Laws denied Colts a third goal before Jennings went close with a header that just missed the far post.

It summed up Vasco's day.

"Today, except for the semi-final, was the first time that we came out and played as a team for 90 minutes,'' said Burgess.

"We still missed Jah (Samuels) and Marvin (Belboda) today but the team we had today was a lot more disciplined. We didn't bicker and that was the big thing.

"When this team loses, usually we beat ourselves because we bicker amongst ourselves.'' Colts: T.Hall; J.Simmons, S.Burgess, N.Samuels, J.Belboda, M.Hollis, K.Smith, D.Wright, T.Smith (H.Trott 48min), A.Zuill (R.Douglas 85min), J.Laws (K.Lawrence 74min).

Vasco: T.Figureido; W.Augustus, C.Roberts, D.Sharrieff (D.Robinson 61min), D.Stapley, K.Jennings, L.Durham (T.Darrell 70min), M.Wade, T.Outerbridge, D.Basden, S.Gibbons.

Men of the match: Nathan Samuels (Colts), Clifford Roberts (Vasco).

Referee: Anthony Mouchette North Village Rams won the Commercial League Knockout Cup on Saturday, beating Lobster Pot 1-0 at Bernard Park. Sherwin (Dicky) Hollis scored the goal in the 65th minute.

Shield Cup picture and report Page 29 Photos by Ras Mykkal One Up: Makonnen Hollis (right) celebrates his third goal of the season which gave Devonshire Colts the lead in the Friendship final against holders Vasco.

Also pictured is Aljame Zuill, scorer of the second Colts goal in the 2-0 win.

National challenge: Bermuda players Keishon Smith (back) and Kentoine Jennings do battle for their sides yesterday.