between Devonshire Colts and North Village promises to be a treat.

Although Somerset won the league championship on the basis of being the most consistent side in the Island, no one will deny that Village are the most in-form and Colts are the most feared.

Village are unbeaten since losing an FA Cup quarter-final to Dandy Town on January 31 and this run has seen them beat Somerset in the Friendship Trophy quarter-finals and scored an impressive 4-0 league win over tonight's opponents.

Colts have proven to be somewhat of an enigma in that they have been terrific throughout the season against some of the top teams but less than impressive against the weaker ones.

Somerset were three times beaten by Colts, most recently 4-3 after extra time in the FA Cup semifinal. And Lorenzo Symonds' side also have a 5-1 mauling of Boulevard under their belts.

This has all come with the maturation of Ellington Weldon and Mark Ray as twin scoring threats to compliment their ever-dangerous captain Craig Smith.

Smith expects tonight's contest, which kicks off at 9.00 p.m., to be as flowing as the previous two fixtures between the two. Colts won the first 3-0.

"The games have been attacking, free-flowing games because both teams basically play the same style,'' he said. "I expect this game to be likewise and very competitive.'' Colts needed a replay to see off PHC in the semifinals and are in position for a rewarding season after finishing second in the league. "We have been playing well thanks to our overall team strength,'' added Smith. "The team has been intense and really gearing up for each match and the intensity has even been shown in training.'' As well as Weldon and Ray, who have 25 goals between them, Colts have packed a surprise punch with young Keishon Smith coming in to play major roles.

In fact, he and fellow youngster Quincey Aberdeen, netted in extra time of Colts' FA Cup win over Somerset last Saturday night., Smith added: "We have been doing well up front. We have changed around at times with Keishon Smith having a go in the attack as well.'' The skipper admits that his Red Devils counterpart Elliott Jennings could decide the outcome. Jennings has perhaps been the best World Cup player in the domestic programme and has been in the middle of their rise from mediocrity.

"He is the playmaker but I can't see us concentrating on assigning somebody to simply mark him,'' Smith commented.

Jennings, who yesterday admitted that a full year of soccer is finally taking its toll, simply wants to entertain tonight's audience -- and win as well.

"I am looking forward to going out and enjoying it and hopefully we can get some silverware,'' he said. "We came together more as a team after the World Cup and various injuries. "I feel that if we could have had our full team from the beginning we could have had a good chance at winning the league. I learned a lot from the World Cup and hope next season I'll be better.'' Village's style over the years has been based around simple soccer and Jennings says that that is where he has improved.

The unexpected return of Kentoine Jennings from Hereford United has boosted Village in the run-in and gives them a real quality down the middle of the defence where Shawn Smith and Michael Hansey also reside.

Other World Cup players to see action will be goalkeeper Dwayne Adams, full-back Kevin Grant and forward Philip Clarke.

"Kentoine is a big plus because he's strong,'' added Elliott. "We have some quality players at the back now, which smakes it hard for teams to get behind us.'' The one negative for Village is that Seventh Day Adventists Clinton Caisey and Kimande Binns, regular fixtures in the midfield, will be unavailable.

"They both have been doing good jobs,'' Jennings said. "Clinton has been getting in good scoring positions while Kimande was going from strength to strength.'' The feature match will be preceded by an unlikely pair in the Second Division Shield final at 7 p.m. -- BAA and Prospect.

Neither side were a feature in the promotion race but they pulled out all the stops to reach this stage of the Shield.

BAA, in particular, were unrecognisable by the cup exploits as they were either bottom or second from bottom for most of the league programme.

But in the cup, their path has such scalps as Southampton and Vasco, both 1-0 victims. Prospect defeated Somerset Eagles and then hammered Social Club in the semifinals to set up this meeting.

Prospect won their most recent meeting 2-1 but BAA coach Johnny Adams is quick to point out that his side were under-strength and has predicted a Green Knight victory.

"BAA will win it,'' he proclaimed. "Though our league performance would suggest otherwise I am confident that BAA will win their first cup since 1936.'' In the days of association football BAA have reached four Shield finals previously and have lost them all -- twice to Wolves and once each to St.

George's and Port Royal, when Adams was the opposing coach.

BAA will be without first-choice goalkeeper Philip Bolton who is away and defender Daniel Stovel, a Seventh Day Adventist.

Their defence has been kept in check by skipper Robert Pacheco and Anthony Stoneham but the coach feels that it is in the attack where the Green Knights are strongest.

CRYSTAL BALL GAZING -- Devonshire captain Craig Smith is expecting a competitive final tonight.