With contemptuous coolness, Dandy Town lifted their game in the second half of this Coca-Cola First Division game at St. John's field and blasted home three goals for an emphatic victory over previously undefeated Vasco.

The loss was the first of the season for the visitors who entered the day in second place, just one point behind leaders Dandy Town who now own a two-point lead at the top.

Dandy Town's goals came from Paul Cann, Pernell Douglas and substitute Clarkie Riley.

It was a demoralising defeat for Vasco. They were not only decisively beaten but they looked pathetically inadequate for much of the game and one could not help but wonder how they have managed to avoid other losses.

Admittedly, they suffered a great setback when midfielder Scott Morton was injured and replaced after just 18 minutes, but the team of established players were unable to lift their performance when it mattered.

There were few stimulating moments in the first half with both teams struggling to find their pace and rhythm.

Town, though, were clearly the better of the two, but time and time again promising approach work broke down outside the penalty box as a result of misdirected passes or intervention by a Vasco defence, which looked steady in the first half with Dennis Brown and Karl Roberts at centre-half.

Vasco, on the other hand, depended mostly on distributing through-balls to hard-working Coolridge Bell, but the forceful forward just could not get things done satisfactory alone. Too often was he left battling against a formidable defence that was seldom pressured.

While Vasco never looked capable of scoring, Dandy Town had at least three good chances. The first came after six minutes when Walter Musson put a shot wide from 17 yards, the second after 21 minutes when Carlos Smith put a cross from Kris Martin over from 15 yards and the third when Martin shot into the chest of goalkeeper Keenan Tucker from an angle on the left wing.

Although Dandy Town held a clear edge without being prominent in the opening half the home team managed to completely dominate Vasco from the restart with the first goal always seeming to be imminent.

They should have gone ahead after 52 minutes but Carlos Smith put a chance wide from 14 yards after being put through by Cann.

Three minutes later, though, with the defence hard-pressed Dennis Brown saw an attempted clearance rebound off Cann and fly into the goal to put Town a goal up.

Two minutes later, it was Cann who provided a tantalising through-ball that Pernell Douglas coolly controlled, advanced 18 yards and hammered the ball home from close range.

Vasco tried to come back by adding substitute Larance Durham to their attack but they were still unable to make any impact on the Dandy Town defence.

Center-half Wayne Campbell slammed a long shot over goal and Musson sent another from 16 yards that Tucker dove to save as Dandy Town looked for more goals.

The third came 10 minutes from time when substitute Darron Simons, after being on the field for just a few seconds, beautifully sent the cross for Riley to score from close in.

Dandy Town: C.Davis; L.Christopher, T.Harvey, W.Campbell, D.Lewis; P.Douglas, P.Cann, W.Musson; C.Smith, T.Lewis (C.Riley, 70 mins), Kr.Martin (D.Simons, 85 mins).

Vasco: K.Tucker; C.Ainscough, K.Roberts, D.Brown, B.Bruce (L.Durham, 45 mins); C.Lloyd, S.Morton (E.Richardson, 18 mins), V.Astwood; R.Mallory, C.Bell, I.Burgess.

Referee: Cal Simons.

Men of the match: Paul Cann (Dandy Town); Coolridge Bell (Vasco).

THAT SHOULD DO IT -- Carlos Smith moves in to congratulate Pernell Douglas (6) who scored Dandy Town's second goal in yesterday's top-of-the-table clash at St. John's field.