After dismantling Boulevard Blazers 3-0 on Tuesday night at the Den to reach the final four of the 2004-05 Martonmere Cup competition, defending champions North Village are now bracing themselves for what promises to be another all-out battle against Devonshire Cougars in next week?s semi-finals.

In what will be a repeat of last year?s final, Village hope to reproduce the stunning form which swept them to Martonmere Cup glory nearly 12 months ago at the National Sports Centre.

Just when many were beginning to write the Reds off following successive defeats, Village dug deep to silence a gutsy Blazers side to move within a game of booking yet another date on the carpet ? only 48 hours after suffering a 3-0 humbling themselves to a nine-men Cougars team on home turf.

?I think we played extremely well in the first game (against Cougars last Sunday). But I never thought the final score would be what it was,? recalled Reds player/coach Kentoine Jennings.

?Not to take anything away from Cougars . . . but we practically gave the game away. Domico (Coddington) and those guys did what they had to do but I thought we just lost a bit of concentration and discipline in our game and that?s what we have to get back to ? being disciplined for 90 minutes.?

Jennings reckons his charges learned a very valuable lesson against the big cats over the weekend.

?We learned from that and that?s what we took into the Boulevard match. . . giving it everything we had for the entire match,? he added. ?I think the Cougars game definitely woke us up and now we look forward to playing against them in the semi-finals.?

So far this season, Village have still yet to field their strongest squad as several key players remain sidelined for various reasons.

Missing Tuesday night were defender Jawan Thomas (slight illness), midfielder Jemieko Jennings (hamstring), promising youngster Keishen Bean (knee injury) while last season?s Friendship Trophy hero Kevin Jennings and defender Michael Hansey continue their self-imposed exiles.

But having secured a semi-final berth, the game-face crew now have the next six days off to figure out a plan to finally get by a menacing Cougars line-up.

However, Jennings? opposite number Andrew Bascome is also hard at work drawing up a blueprint he hopes will carry his tropps through to a second successive cup final appearance.

?Our biggest challenge will be trying to keep that last match (against Village) behind us,? said the former Reds midfield maestro who watched his former club oust Blazers from the bleachers.

?We must now put that match behind us and remain focussed. We cannot go into any game over-confident and with Village now confirmed as our next opponents we can be assured it?s going to be a very tough game . . . it?s not going to be another 3-0.

?I can assure you Kentoine and Keith Jennings and the rest of their players will be coming to play . . . and they are getting better!

?So another challenge for us will be to try to contain and disorganise them and hopefully in the end come out on top.

?Village play a good 4-4-2 system and I?ve always approached them respectfully.?

Cougars will be gunning for a fourth straight win when they host PHC Zebras at the Den tomorrow night minus the services of midfielder Kori Goddard and ?keeper Ricardo Brangman, both sent off during last weekend?s inspiring win over Village.

Top striking duo Heys Wolfe and Raymond Beach, meanwhile, continue to serve out a lengthy suspension.