Dev Colts 4 St. George's 0 "We are the champions!'' So chimed the chorus of the faithful at BAA Field on Saturday night as Devonshire Colts finally celebrated their first league championship in 24 years to the day.

Banished were memories of recent failed campaigns when the Devonshire crew continually knocked but were denied access to the fraternal order reserved for champions.

There would be no turning them back on this night as Colts vented years of pent up frustration derived from carrying the perennial bridesmaid tag, partying into the night under the blare of screaming fans, air horns and the reverberating beat emanating from a huge sound system erected upon the northern bank.

The title stamping them as Bermuda's best came as a result of a comprehensive 4-0 rout of visiting St. George's, who, while showing a great deal of fight for a team anchored at the bottom of the standings and already relegated, eventually folded against opposition clearly on a mission.

Two goals from Keishon Smith and one each by Mark Ray and substitute Craig Smith served to trigger wild celebrations, three scores coming in the second half after the East Enders were able to keep matters close early on.

A surprisingly small crowd turned out to witness an affair having championship implications, while also conspicuous by their absence were top ranking Bermuda Football Association officials. And there was likewise no sign of the league trophy.

Action got underway with St. George's not the least overawed by their high riding and heavily favoured opponents, matching them stride for stride.

The visitors fired the opening salvo after 16 minutes when Clifton Simmons unloaded a powerful, rising 25-yard drive that Troy Hall did well to hold.

Two minutes later fellow East Ender Sinclair Smith forced a hasty clearance as he rummaged between two defenders just inside the penalty area.

Could there be an upset in the making? Would Colts find themselves smitten once more? Not likely.

Shaking loose the cobwebs, the home team finally arrived in the 22nd minute, Ray bringing out the best in goalkeeper Earl Basden, who neatly tipped over the striker's 30-yard rocket that looked destined for the top left corner.

Basden had Kervin Moreno to thank for saving him in the 24th minute, the long-haired full-back in perfect position to head off the line a firm Keishon Smith header that had goal written all over it following a left-wing corner by Ray.

Still, it was now merely a question of when Colts would find the range and how wide the floodgates would open as they began to dominate, exposing cracks in a rear guard increasingly stretched despite the strong presence of Neil Paynter and Quinton Francis.

The answer came after 36 minutes, Ray doing the damage.

It all looked so innocuous, Smith delivering a short pass to Ray at least 40 yards from goal. With no one advancing to challenge, Ray cranked up his trusted right boot and unleashed a searing low drive that Basden should have covered, but failed to stop going in at the near post.

Both teams ambled through the first 15 minutes of the second half, Colts controlling without doing further damage, while St. George appeared to lose much of the early fervour.

This tranquillity was disturbed by another Basden blunder, the 'keeper dropping a free kick cross by Jermaine Belboda directly on the crown of Smith, who alertly nodded over a now stranded Basden into goal.

From there it was all one-way traffic, with substitute Sekai Waldron and captain Shannon Burgess launching shots and Colts pinning St. George's.

Goal number three came from a brilliant Smith solo effort, the ever busy midfield schemer roving left to right across the top of the penalty area discarding defenders before firing into the far corner.

It was then left for Craig Smith, a 66th minute replacement for McKonnen Hollis, to finalise matters by curling a free kick from 19 yards past the defensive wall, the ball sneaking in at the near post.

"We're league champs you know,'' said head coach Vic Ball Sr., as he was deluged by congratulations from fans and friends alike at the sounding of the final whistle. "Praise the Lord, we got there.

"We have to thank God, for he's given us the strength, time and opportunity for everyone to be here and take part in this event.'' It certainly appeared to have been the work of a higher power throughout the season, with Colts having been tipped by so called experts to finish no higher than seventh. A rocky beginning saw them lose three of their first five matches and standing -- you guessed it -- in the seventh spot.

But after winning their next three, including a 7-0 battering of St. George's, Colts advanced to the top and never looked back.

"It's been a tough year with a lot of ups and downs, but we remained a team and it's great to be a part of the process. It's been an all round team effort,'' continued Ball.

Colts end title drought From Page 23 "The press had us tipped to come seventh, but David Furbert and I always believed this team had potential to be champions.

"It's been built off the effort of Lorenzo Symonds and we've also tried to instil the principles laid down by men like Donald Dane, Gary Stevens and Kenneth Richardson.

"Last season we created opportunities to score goals and didn't take them.

This season we created opportunities to score goals and the players decided to break the mould and score goals.'' History recalls March 22, 1973 as the last time Colts had won a league title, that bunch carrying an arsenal including the revered figures of Marcus Douglas, Gary Darrell, Albert Dowling, Carlton (Peppy) Dill, Ellsworth Lambert and Oliver Caisey to name but a few. On that day Colts needed and got a victory over an equally star-studded PHC to claim the Bermuda Football Union First Division crown, winning 2-0 on goals by Lambert and Dill.

Devonshire Colts: T.Hall; Jermaine Belboda, M.Hollis (C.Smith 66 mins), S.Burgess, Jermel Belboda; K.Burchall, J.Samuels, V.Ball (S.Waldron 56 mins), K.Smith; R.Jones (E.Weldon 56 mins), M.Ray.

St. George's: E.Basden; D.Bailey, Q.Francis, N.Paynter, D.Bailey; D.Wright, D.Walker, S.Smith; C.Simmons (R.Steede 46 mins), D.Whitfield, J.Laws.

Referee: Kenny Perinchief.

Men of the match: Keishon Smith (Devonshire Colts), Quinton Francis (St.

George's).