Vasco easily negotiated the second hurdle in their quest for the Triple Crown yesterday when two goals from Clay Smith and a rare strike from defender Derek Stapley landed them the Friendship Trophy at National Stadium.

Now only Devonshire Colts, their opponents in next weekend's FA Cup final, can stop Vasco from becoming the first team in 20 years to win the treble of league, Friendship and FA Cup and so complete their most successful season ever.

One of the disappointments yesterday was the small crowd, made up mostly of Wolves fans who left at half-time to celebrate their team's Shield success.

The feature itself was never a classic as the blustery conditions had a big influence.

Vasco never looked back after taking the lead in the 14th minute, and when Stapley added the second in first half injury-time the match was well out of Hotels' reach.

Hotels did force the first corner of the match but it was from their first corner that Vasco broke the deadlock. Sinclair Gibbons' cross from the right was met by Clay Smith on the near edge of the penalty box and his glancing header went in under the bar.

Gradually Vasco took control as Hotels were pinned in their own half for long periods. Midfielder Otis Steede just missed with a low hard cross into the box.

Hotels' best chance came late in the half when Marlon Lindsay chipped to the far post where Dennis Robinson blasted a volley off target.

Full back Stapley, one of the unsung heroes of this Vasco team, scored a memorable first goal in four seasons in the closing seconds of the half when he pushed forward and hit a left-foot scorcher from the edge of the box that rocketed into the roof of the net through the hands of Dupres.

Hotels showed more purpose after the restart and they came close to pulling a goal back in the 50th minute when Lindsay put pressure on the Vasco defence and found himself in possession inside the box. However, his low shot from an angle went wide of the far post.

The pair of Gibbons and Smith combined for the third Vasco goal in the 75th minute, this time Gibbons flighting in a free kick from the left and Smith meeting the cross at the far post to tuck a right-footed shot past the 'keeper.

"For us it was better than the last two games of the season,'' said captain Timmy Figureido after his team received the trophy from Opposition Leader Jennifer Smith.

"We can still do a lot better than this, but we did what we had to do.

"Playing against the wind was very difficult. It was gusting at times so anything could have happened. I came out for one ball and it almost went over my head.'' Vasco: T.Figureido; D.Stapley, P.Towlson (T.Dickinson 81min), D.Livingston, S.Gibbons (E.Richardson 84 mins), K.Jennings, O.Steede, V.Astwood, S.Swan (T.Darrell 84 mins), C.Smith, D.Basden.

Hotels: S.Dupres; F.Francis, D.Sharrieff, C.Roberts, W.Augustus, C.Sabir, D.Robinson, D.Wainwright, M.Lindsay, S.Gair (W.Crockwell 67 mins).

Referee: Stuart Crockwell Men of the match: Clay Smith (Vasco), Clifford Roberts (Hotels).

Shawn Goater netted on his home debut for Manchester City on Saturday as the First Division strugglers hammered neighbours Stockport 4-1 before 32,000 fans at Maine Road.

Goater scored in the fifth minute and further goals from another recent signing Richard Jobson and Lee Bradbury (two) lifted City out of the bottom three in the standings.

Photo By Tony Cordeiro GOAL! -- Hotels goalkeeper Stefan Dupres can't prevent this glancing header from Clay Smith (white shirt) from finding the back of the net in the 14th minute of yesterday's Friendship Trophy final at the National Stadium.