There were certainly more marquee match-ups on tap yesterday in the First Division.

However, the game between St. David's and Dandy Town provided many exciting and tense moments with home side Town emerging victorious over the stubborn Islanders.

The final score was 3-2 courtesy of two goals scored by Carlos Smith and one by Kris Martin. Replying for St. David's was veteran James Pace with two.

In extremely blustery conditions, both sides managed too temporarily contain the other, aided in part by the high winds, which played havoc with the ball and, in fact, played a significant role in practically all of the goals that were scored on the afternoon.

In the 32nd minute, a long pass from the back by Wayne Campbell found a streaking Carlos Smith who pounced on the ball after it eluded the defence.

Smith controlled the ball in stride and drilled his shot past St. David's goalkeeper Dale Fox.

Town took their one-goal lead into the half and began the second with the knowledge that they would be playing into a colder and stiffer breeze.

After a good build-up down the middle initiated by Troy Harvey, he found Troy Lewis down the right flank. Lewis went around a defender and passed to an onrushing Smith who scored his second from two yards in the 53rd minute.

In the 65th minute, in virtually a carbon copy of Town's first goal, St.

David's scored their first when Pace split two defenders after the wind whipped the ball by the Town defence. Pace picked up the free ball and coolly slotted his shot by Anthony Manders from 15 yards out.

St. David's gained in confidence after Pace's strike and were soon all over Town. In the 79th minute, Maxwell Dill almost equalised when his header from a corner just glanced by the left upright.

They were awarded through their perseverance in the 84th minute when another corner kick by Shea Pitcher found the head of Pace at the far post as the ball rammed into the back of the net to knot the score at two apiece.

However, St. David's celebrations came to an abrupt end one minute later when Martin received a crossed ball from Smith. As had been the case all afternoon, the ball seemed to veer away from the defence and on to the waiting Martin who pounded the ball down the heart of the goal and manage, temporarily, to take the sting out of the Islanders.

With three minutes left, St. David's were unlucky not to tie the score when, after what seemed an eternity in a goalmouth scramble, they could not find the back of the net after numerous attempts.

In the 88th minute, Town came storming back after Walter Musson went in solo on the 'keeper. He got by Fox only to see his shot go into the side-netting with a wide open goal in front of him.

St. David's fought valiantly to the end and deserved a better result as they avoided the venemous sting of the Hornets for the better part of the afternoon.

However, at the end of the day, the Hornets' sting proved to be too lethal as they succumbed to the odd goal.

Dandy Town: A.Manders, W.Rudo, L.Christopher, T.Harvey (D.Lewis, 73 mins) T.Lewis, W.Campbell, P.Douglas, Kr.Martin, Ku.Martin, W.Musson, C.Smith.

St. David's: D.Fox, G.Swainson (S.Minors, 79 mins), E.Wolffe (S.Robinson, 45 mins), J.Pace, J.Winkleman, M.Kelly, S.Pitcher, E.Crockwell, M.Dill, A.Darrell, L.Cann.

Referee: Frank Drayton.

Men of the match: Carlos Smith (Dandy Town); James Pace (St.David's).