Soccer's biggest money-making tournament the Montonmere Cup reaches the crunch stage tonight when four teams battling for supremacy with an aim to reach the final.

The semi-final match-up at Devonshire Rec. has defending champions Dandy Town taking on Devonshire Colts in the 7 p.m. opener and losing finalist of a year ago Wolves meeting favourites North Village in the second game at 9 p.m.

There has to be concern in the Dandy Town camp since they will be the only team coming off a losing outing after falling to PHC Zebras in a league game at Somerset on Sunday.

Coach Andrew Bascome will be hope that they can put that 2-0 setback behind them and regain some of that impressive earlier Martonmere Cup form to get past Colts.

Perhaps coach Bascome will have convinced Town that they were unfortunate to be beaten by PHC, whom they beat by a 5-3 margin earlier, after having the misfortune of seeing two clear chances go astray on Sunday. If this is so then Town should have no problem in getting by a Colts team that has a history of ineptness up front. But while Town lick their wounds from their last loss, Colts could be in the mood where they can raise their level and be inspired by their slim 1-0 victory over Devonshire Cougars at the same venue on Friday night. Colts played far below their capabilities and wayward shooting let them down badly and it was the fine goalkeeing of Kevin Bean that kept them alive before they finally got a disputed penalty by skipper Shannon Burgess that saw them through to victory.

Against a more formidable Town team, it will be a surprise if Colts advance.

The second game between Wolves and North Village appears to be more exciting on paper with both coming off victories on Sunday, Wolves hammering Southampton Rangers 5-1 and Village edging Somerset Trojans 4-3.

However in spite of the victories both coaches, Dennis Brown of Wolves and Scott Morton of Village, will obviously be demanding more of their squads in tonight's match.

Against Southampton, Wolves triumphed at the end when the defence stumbled and handed them three goals in the last 13 minutes after Wolves held a slight 2-1 lead.

Wolves themselves looked mediocre without midfield schemer Anthony Thomas and will surely need a player of his tireless working nature to prevent Village from taking any initiatives with good approach work allowed to begin in midfield.

With the speedy forwards Morton has at his disposal against a defence which even looked suspect with big Diallo Sharrieff making his debut at centre-back on Sunday, Village should win this one.