Elliott Jennings grabbed the winner 17 minutes from time as North Village dumped holders Vasco out of the Dudley Eve Trophy.

Jennings, a handful for the Vasco defence throughout Saturday's second game at a packed Southampton Oval, applied the finishing touch to a breathtaking sweeping move from the edge of the Village area to set up a second meeting with Wolves for the right to face Dandy Town in the competition's final.

Ironically, Jennings' strike came just when it seemed their opponents might take an undeserved lead.

Vasco had been awarded a free kick on the left about 15 yards outside the Village box. Clay Smith ran over the ball and Meshach Wade fired in a low shot that was blocked by the wall.

The ball fell kindly for the Village defence and right winger Kevin Jennings spotted his opportunity, racing for the half-way line to be picked out by a precise pass.

Vasco barely knew what had hit them as the impressive Jennings powered unchallenged into their half before squaring the ball to Jameiko Jennings about 15 yards out.

He seemed certain to score before goalkeeper Timmy Figureido moved swiftly to narrow the angle, but namesake Elliott was spare outside him and he played a simple ball that allowed the striker to blast into the unguarded net and spark prolonged celebrations.

The only surprise was that the goal was so long in coming.

Although the initial exchanges were dominated by defences in which Clifford Roberts for Vasco and Jawon Thomas for Village were outstanding, Village created three clear-cut chances in the first 45 minutes alone as Neil Robinson and Kevin Jennings began to exploit the space on either flank.

And as the game wore on and they continued to carve open the Vasco rearguard without reward, the more they may have begun to fear that the strangely lethargic Triple Crown winners might punish them for their waywardness and sneak a goal.

Former Boulevard winger Robinson, in fact, has proved to be an important acquisition for Village this season with his probing, teasing runs which invite defenders to commit themselves.

But Robinson, playing on the left, was guilty of a bad miss in the 19th minute, failing to get hold of his shot from 10 yards out after brilliant work on the other flank by Kevin Jennings had created the opening.

And twice in two minutes just after the half hour Elliott and Jameiko Jennings allowed excellent chances to go begging.

Elliott could have made a better case for his miss, being almost as surprised as the Vasco defence when Kevin Jennings projected a fierce, flat corner to him unmarked at the near post. He reacted quickly to try and divert the ball home with his chest, but watched in dismay as it came back off the angle of bar and post.

Jameiko, meanwhile, dithered too long when the ball dropped to him in space 12 yards from goal and finally lost control as Figureido ventured from his goal line.

Village coach Kenny Thompson leapt off the bench and slammed his clipboard down in frustration while the groan of the crowd would have been heard by holidaymakers sapping up the sun's rays on nearby Horseshoe Bay Beach.

Village, though, survived a close call themselves on the stroke of half-time as Vasco's front line of Clay Smith, Dwight Basden and Sinclair Gibbons momentarily tuned in to the same channel.

After referee Anthony Mouchette had waved away penalty appeals when Thomas appeared to be struck on the hand, Wade pounced on the loose ball to let fly through a crowd of players.

Jennings on target From Page 21 Dwayne Adams, underworked in a game billed as a clash of Bermuda's top two goalkeepers, showed his class, however, diving full-length to claw away the attempt at the foot of his left-hand post. Smith was first to the rebound but when he turned the ball back across goal, nobody could apply the touch required.

Vasco replaced Keith Jennings with Tafari Outerbridge at the beginning of the second half, but it continued to be mainly one way traffic.

And it was another substitute, Village's Devon Brangman, who almost broke the deadlock in the 68th minute. Brangman, brought on for Peter Mahoney six minutes earlier, found space and time in the box and although his strike was powerful and accurate, Figureido was well-positioned to save.

Seconds later, Kevin Jennings got clear on the right once again, ghosted past Earl Richardson, and sent a teasing ball across the six-yard area. Elliott Jennnings flung himself forward at the far post but with the goal at his mercy could only toe-end the ball over the top.

However, Village fans had to wait only four minutes more to be put out of their agony and this time Jennings was in the right place at the right time to ensure a mouth-watering clash with Wolves at St John's on Tuesday night.

North Village: D.Adams, M.Hansey, R.Spence, K.Dill, J.Thomas, D.Jennings, Kevin Jennings, P.Mahoney (D.Brangman 62 mins), E.Jennings (K.Dill 80 mins), J.Jennings, N.Robinson.

Vasco: T.Figureido, Kentoine Jennings, W.Augustus, C.Roberts, O.Steede, M.Wade, Keith Jennings (T.Outerbridge 45 mins), E.Richardson, S.Gibbons (A.Russell 66 mins), D.Basden, C.Smith.

Referee: Anthony Mouchette.

Men of the match: Jawan Thomas (Village); Timmy Figureido (Vasco) ELLIOTT JENNINGS -- hit the Village winner 17 minutes from time.