Vasco suffered the ultimate humiliation last night at Somerset when Devonshire Colts romped to the biggest first-leg win in the Dudley Eve final. None of the previous 21 finals have seen such a lopsided first leg, with no team ever leading by more than three goals. Except for showing up to receive the trophy for the first time in 15 years, Colts probably won't be taking Sunday's second final very seriously.

"Coming into this game I felt that we were that much better than them and the last two games we played them we showed that,'' said Colts captain Shannon Burgess whose two penalties made him joint top scorer with striker Aljame Zuill.

Substitutes Marvin Belboda and Sullivan Phillips added to the rout as Colts turned a slim 1-0 lead into their biggest win of the season. What a way to bring in the new Millennium! "The difference today was that we put our chances away,'' said Burgess. "I thought if we could get two goals up on them, their momentum wouldn't be there and the adrenalin would disappear from them and we could take advantage of that and that's what we did. Later in the game they were wiltering.'' Vasco never had the best of starts as the gamble to risk the still injured Derek Stapley backfired when the fullback limped off with a recurring knee injury after just 10 minutes.

The first goal for Colts had a look of offside about it when Quincy Aberdeen's pass into the box took a slight deflection off a defender being being met behind the Vasco defence by Aljame Zuill. When the linesman's flag stayed down, Zuill calmly tucked the ball past Timmy Figureido.

Figureido was busy with a couple of saves in the 27th and 35th minutes, but not even he was prepared for what was to come in the second half.

It might have turned out different had Troy Hall in the other goal not made a reflex save to a Keith Jennings touch at the near post just a minute into the second half after Wayne Augustus played a ball into the box.

Goals in the 52nd and 58th minutes put Colts firmly in control as Burgess opened his account when Figureido pulled down Zuill in the box as he tried to recover the ball. Burgess scored low to the 'keeper's right.

Six minutes later Vasco fell further behind when, as they were waiting to bring on Dwight Basden, Zuill scored the best goal of the game when he connected with a well-placed cross from the left by Damon Ming to squeeze a header between Figureido and the far post from a sharp angle.

Both teams were reduced to 10 men in the 75th minute when the frustrated Sinclair Gibbons retaliated after a challenge from Jermel Belboda who squared up to the Vasco player. To their credit Diallo Sharrieff and Burgess were quick on the scene to pull players away as the situation threatened to get out of control. Gibbons and Belboda were both shown the red card by referee Anthony Mouchette.

Three more goals came in the last 10 minutes as Colts ended the year in glorious fashion.

Substitute Phillips started the move with a one-two in his own half in the 82nd minute that opened the Vasco defence for Ming to force a foul off Clifford Roberts inside the box.

This time Burgess sent Figureido the wrong way as he shot low into the opposite corner. Marvin Belboda made it five when he pounced on a Roberts backpass and blocked Figureido's intended clearance before scoring into an open net.

Referee Mouchette had just signalled two minutes of stoppage time when Colts completed the scoring, with Phillips scoring with a low shot past the out of position Figureido.

Burgess promises another good showing by Colts on Sunday.

"We play more composed and better football when we are relaxed so the public can come out and watch a good display of soccer,'' said the captain.

"We still have a league campaign to look forward to so we have to be sensible and play safe football to prevent injuries and red cards. We have to keep calm heads especially when we're on top.'' Dev.Colts: T.Hall; J.Simmons, S.Burgess, N.Samuels, J.Belboda, T.Smith (D.Wright 79min), J.Samuels, D.Ming, Q.Aberdeen (M.Belboda 56min), J.Laws (S.Phillips 64min), A.Zuill.

Vasco: T.Figureido; D.Stapley (K.Smith 10min), D.Sharrieff, C.Roberts, W.Augustus, K.Jennings, K.Burchall, A.Tyrrell (D.Basden 58min), S.Gibbons, I.Burgess (C.Anderson 71min), C.Smith.

Referee: Anthony Mouchette Men of the match: Aljame Zuill (Colts), Wayne Augustus (Vasco) Yellow cards: None Red cards: Sinclair Gibbons (Vasco), Jermel Belboda (Colts) PHC advanced to the final of the Under-21 Youth Cup, beating Colts 3-1. Willis Raynor netted twice and Orvonnie Fubler the other for PHC who led 2-1 at the half. Jay Smith scored for Colts.

Raynor opened the scoring in the 13th minute before Smith replied for Colts a minute later. Fubler put PHC back in front in the 37th minute and Raynor closed out the scoring two minutes from the end.

PHC will meet Somerset in Sunday's final at St. David's. Somerset beat Boulevard on sudden death penalty kicks on Tuesday at Bernard Park to clinch the first spot in the final.