North Village were knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten -- and lost top spot in the First Division in the process -- when Vasco moved back into first place at Bernard Park yesterday.

This match lived up to its top billing, with Village taking an early lead and then having to battle back to 2-2 early in the second half before two more Vasco strikes in the space of seven minutes put the cap on an impressive performance.

The match was only ten minutes old when Village took the lead, as a low hard cross from Jamal (Mouse) Smith saw Jahmeiko Jennings miskick in front of goal.

The Vasco defending was so sloppy that the teenager was able to regain possession and lay a pass off for Lionel Cann who blasted past Timmy Figureido from 15 yards.

Chances came regularly at both ends with Sammy Swan putting a shot over the bar for Vasco and Elliott Jennings having a cross tipped over the bar by Figureido. Then Cann volleyed a left-footed shot into the side-netting from a Jahmeiko Jennings throw-in.

Village goalkeeper Gladwin Edness started to look suspect with his handling late in the first half as, on one occasion, the ball went through his hands when he went to collect a Sinclair Gibbons corner. Young Jennings cleared off the line.

Vasco's pressure paid off five minutes before the break when when Kevin Grant's attempted clearance hit Clay Smith who picked up possession and laid off a cross for Gibbons to tuck his shot into the near post.

Vasco went off agitated at the half when Gibbons followed Meshach Wade into referee Richard Knight's book for kicking the ball away after the whiste had been blown.

They turned that anger into something positive at the start of the second half by going close in the first minute through a Clay Smith header.

The visitors took the lead three minutes later when the advancing Edness brought down Sammy Swan as he and Kevin Grant chased a through ball into the box. Swan took the penalty himself, placing the ball inside Edness' bottom right-hand post.

A goal frenzy came after that with three more goals coming in 11 frantic minutes. Village equalised within four minutes when Jamal Smith, quiet since creating the opening goal, scored with a low shot in off the far post from the left side of the box.

But that would be the last hurrah for Village who paid for some slack defending by conceding two more goals in the 57th and 64th minutes. The four goals they let in matched the four they conceded in in six previous league encounters.

Clay Smith put Vasco back in front to stay when a long ball down the right flank opened the Village defence for Sammy Swan to race through and lay on the perfect cross for him to score from six yards.

Village started to look ragged defensively and Vasco were not about to let them off the hook, though they almost conceded a second equaliser in the 61st minute when they were caught casual at the back themselves. Elliott Jennings was allowed to get off a shot that hit the base of a post with Figureido flat-footed.

That warning heeded, Vasco charged back and put the game out of Village's reach with a fourth in the 64th minute. Clay Smith's shot was blocked for a corner on the right which Taur Caisey took. The cross met Meshach W ade and he made no mistake from close range.

North Village: G.Edness; J.Boyles, I.Romaine, M.Hansey, K.Grant (J.Samuels 77 mins.), Kev.Jennings, R.Edness (V.Tankard 53 mins.), J.Jennings, L.Cann (D.Wade 66 mins.), E.Jennings, J.Smith.

Vasco: T.Figureido; E.Richardson, P.Towlson, Ken.Jennings, D.Stapley, S.Gibbons, O.Steede, M.Wade (C.Sherman 90 mins.), S.Swan (T.Darrell 67 mins.), T.Caisey (K.Smith 70 mins.), C.Smith.

Referee: Richard Knight Men of match: Elliott Jennings (North Village), Meshach Wade (Vasco) Photos by David Skinner MY BALL -- Derek Stapley of Vasco and North Village's Michael Hansey battle for possession (above) while Irving Romaine leans on Sammy Swan as they wait for a high ball to drop (below).