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Underdogs Social Club aim for new First Division scalp

Could it be the end of the line in Young Men's Social Club's FA Cup run, or will the lone Second Division survivors claim another First Division scalp at Bernard Park tomorrow? The stage is the quarter-finals of the prestigious Challenge Cup, won on three successive occasions in the mid-1960s by Social Club. During that same period the club also landed three straight league titles.

But times have changed and the former First Division powers have been unable to reclaim past glory.

However, after victory over Southampton Rangers in the last round, the feeling among those at the club is that the Bluebirds may be ready to string together some good results.

Social Club also hold the distinction of being the only team to beat PHC in the Second Division this season, but a 4-1-5 record from their 10 league matches has hardly made them serious promotion contenders.

Tomorrow at Bernard Park, North Village, themselves hungry for FA Cup success after a decade of failing to reach the final, will be looking to end Social Club's cup dreams.

The match is one of four ties scheduled and has the potential for the biggest upset. Two years ago when Wolves reached the final as a Second Division team, Village were upset in the quarter-finals by another team from that division, Hotels, in a replay.

Social Club last came close to winning one of the major trophies in the mid-1970s when they finished runners-up to Village in the league in 1975-76, and reached the finals of the Friendship (1974-75, 1975-76) and Martonmere Cup (1976-77), losing all three.

Cup holders Vasco take on Dandy Town in the day's top match at BAA Field, featuring the first and second place teams in the league. Though Town beat Devonshire Cougars in midweek to move ahead of Village on goal difference, their best hope of adding to the Martonmere Cup looks to be in this competition.

Town trail Vasco by five points but have played one game more which could eventually put them eight points behind the leaders. Vasco, on the other hand, are facing their most important stage of the season.

Having already lost the Dudley Eve from last season, the team are peaking just in time for the run-in to the league and FA and Friendship competitions.

Vasco would consider it a huge success to retain three of their four titles as they prepare to meet Boulevard next month in the semi-finals of the Friendship.

Striker Dwight Basden, who was involved in a nasty incident last weekend against Devonshire Cougars when he had to seek hospital treatment, may not be available for tomorrow's match.

The other two cup ties are in the west end with Cougars travelling to White Hill Field to meet Devonshire Colts while Somerset host Boulevard at Somerset in what will be their second meeting in seven days.

Boulevard won the first match at St. David's in the league to move out of the last two in the standings and will be hoping their revival in the league will spill over to success in the cup.

Devonshire Colts, last year's beaten finalists, should be favoured over Cougars as striker Aljame Zuill goes up against his former team.

All the matches start at 2.30 and three of them will be preceded by Crystal Palace quarter-final matches starting at 12.30. North Village meet St.

George's at Bernard Park, Somerset play Southampton at Somerset and Dandy Town clash with PHC at BAA Field. Boulevard have a bye into the semis.