Sunday's cancellation proved a blessing in disguise as last night's FA Cup semifinal between Vasco and Boulevard provided an abundence of excitement for a packed house on hand at Somerset.

Hot running Vasco were just that for the most part in the early going, but the defending champions showed their mettle, storming back from a two-goal deficit and allowing themselves a lifeline in their quest to hold onto their title.

Mid-fielder Voorhees Astwood served Vasco well with two goals, however, the Blazers responded vengefully through Kenny Hill and Dwight Warren and in the end it was only the heroics of goal-keeper Keenan Tucker that kept the Portuguese side afloat.

Boulevard started in a new-look 5-3-2 formation with Herbie Bascome marshalling a defence containing two marking centrebacks, Wayne Richardson and George Smith alongwith Dean Boyles and Albert Caisey.

However, this was scrapped as Vasco's dynamic duo of Ricky Mallory and Irving Burgess were yet able to find gaping holes in this wall of defence.

It took just 15 minutes for Vasco to get on the scoresheet and it was Astwood doing the damage with a bizzarre goal from a freekick on the right which floated into the goalmouth and skidded past a maze of players along with a blinded Lynn Tucker in goal.

Spurred by the early success Vasco continued to press forward against a fumbling Blazers bunch and five minutes later had the ball in the back of the net again, courtesy of Burgess only to have referee Roddy Burchall signal offside.

To their credit, Boulevard did not panic and continued to perform, utilizing their patented short-passing game with Carlos Pearman, Clinton Caisey and Bascome now pushed forward, all having a say in midfield.

Still their achilles heel continued to be the inability to find the target with shots flying high, wide or both.

A mix-up between Keenan Tucker and centre-back Paul Towlson 27 minutes on allowed Neil Robinson an opening on the right side of the penalty area but with the goal beckoning he elected to pass back to Bascome and the effort was blocked.

The second half dimmed little as Vasco came out firing again and five minutes into the period Astwood struck again after Burgess had laid the groundwork.

A quick counter-attack along the left flank saw Burgess slip past Boyles and send in a hard, low cross that Lynn Tucker could only parry and Astwood was there to stab the ball home from two yards.

That, though, merely served as a wake-up call for Boulevard who roared back to score a minute later when Hill and Warren found themselves alone against Keenan Tucker. And while the keeper did well to hold out the initial shot from Warren, he had no answer to Hill's attempt at the rebound.

Boulevard continued to march forward in droves, searching for the all-important equaliser while Vasco relied on the big boot and fine reflexes of Tucker to hold their opponents at bay.

Nevertheless, their luck would run out in the 81st minute when an inswinging left-wing corner by Robinson bounded off the near upright onto the head of Warren who nodded the ball home between a host of defenders gathered on the goal-line.

Extra time provided several tense moments but no goals, the latter largely due to Tucker who, after being hobbled early in the match, showed great fortitude in pulling off a number of crucial saves.

Boulevard: L.Tucker; A.Caisey, H.Bascome (S.Wade 58min), W.Richardson, G.Smith, D.Boyles; C.Caisey (L.Stevens 45min), C.Pearman, N.Robinson; D.Warren, K.Hill.

Vasco: K.Tucker; E.Richardson, D.Livingston, P.Towlson, C.Lloyd; K.Roberts, C.Ainscough (T.Cabral 53min), V.Astwood (G.Ray 115 min), L.Durham; R.Mallory, I.Burgess.

Referee: Roddy Burchall.

Men of match: Dwight Warren (Boulevard), Kennan Tucker (Vasco).

The opening Crystal Palace Youth Cup encounter between Wolves and Devonshire Colts similarly required extra time before Colts ran out convincing 5-2 victors.

Tarrique White of Colts who was later sent off and Wolves' Mike Dill scored in regulation time which stood at 1-1. But goals by Earl Bean, Damon Ming, Wayne Christopher and Nasir Maynard of Colts put the result out of reach of Wolves who replied through Kemo Smith.