champions Vasco will still go into tonight's first round matches at Devonshire Rec. as one of the favourites to win the popular holiday tournament.

A scoreless draw against Boulevard in their final match of the first half of the league programme was just enough to keep Vasco in the top four after Southampton Rangers below them could only manage a 1-1 draw with North Village.

First up for Vasco as they put their title on the line will be Devonshire Colts, the surprise league leaders in the First Division. Coach Vic Ball admits Vasco won't be pushovers.

"Vasco are the champions and they are playing well enough to carry the title of the team to beat,'' acknowledged Ball who was still a player when Colts became the first team to win the Dudley Eve in 1978-79 when they beat North Village in the two-leg final.

"I think they (Vasco) are a good team and we'll just give it our best shot.'' It's always an advantage to win the opening game in this double elimination competition, though teams have been known to come back and win the cup after losing their first match which puts them into the losers bracket.

"I remember in the very first Dudley Eve we lost the first game and ended up winning the tournament,'' Ball recalled.

"Losing just means that you have a harder road back, having to play five games. But if you win your first two you end up playing four.'' Colts' goalkeeper Troy Hall suffered a broken nose in the team's last match but should have recovered sufficiently to keep his place in goal behind a defence marshalled superbly by captain Shannon Burgess and youngster McKonnen Hollis in the middle.

"We are pretty well the way we've been all season, no major injuries to be concerned about,'' said Ball. "We have one or two players returning from school so our numbers are up a little bit.'' Tonight's opening match sees PHC taking on Dandy Town. Again, both teams' aim will be to take the quickest route to the final, which means winning this opening match.

There is little to choose between the teams, with Town presently in second spot in the standings and PHC third. The Zebras are the most successful team in the Dudley Eve, having won the trophy five times, including three straight years between 1988-89 and '90-91.

The trophy was put up in memory of late Bermuda Football Association director, Dudley Eve, shortly after his death in the late 1970s.