Dandy Town will enter tonight?s season-opening Charity Cup clash with four-time defending champions North Village at BAA Field as favourites to lift the showpiece for the first time in five years.

Hornets will be also seeking to avenge Friendship Trophy and FA Cup final defeats last season and a 2004-05 Charity Cup loss to the Reds who now find themselves in the unfamiliar position of underdogs in a one-off final they have dominated for the past four years.

While Town, 2005-06 Martonmere Cup champions, are looking for atonement for previous failures, Village are gunning for an unprecedented fifth straight cup triumph.

As is currently stands, the Reds, who have won the showpiece on more occasions than any of their rivals, remain tied with PHC Zebras for the most consecutive wins in the charity clash inaugurated in 1984-85.

On paper Town have the edge over their illustrious opponents who will enter tonight?s clash without several key members, among them stalwart Kentoine Jennings, prolific goalscorer Keishen Bean and playmakers Keith and Jemeiko Jennings.

The Village quartet are due to return home tonight with Bermuda?s senior national team from Digicel Cup duty in the Caribbean.

In contrast, Town will only be without defender Dennis Zuill and forward Michael Parsons who also accompanied the national team abroad earlier this week.

Hornets? coach Devarr Boyles said he had been moved by the impressive number of experienced and youthful players who have migrated to the Premier Division club this season.

?We are very much encouraged to attract the type and number of players we have this year,? he told .

?It is our belief that some of these players along with the returning players will have an immediate impact . . . having a developmental influence on the technical part of the game at St. John?s.?

Village coach Dwayne Adams, meanwhile, remained guardedly optimistic that the Reds could get the job completed in the absence of key players.

?The nucleus of the squad is unchanged, and we have some promising youngsters coming through to fill the gaps. So I am not too concerned,? Adams told .

The former national team goalie is fully aware every team will be gunning for the Reds this season, and tonight?s cup encounter with Hornets will be no exception.

?It is up to the players how they are going to respond,? Adams added. ?But I think we have the sort of team that is going to take responsibility and go out there and do everything they can to be successful.?

Tonight?s Village/Hornets cup showdown will be preceded by the Women?s Charity Cup clash between defending champions Lady Cougars and challengers Lady Rams.

Proceeds from tonight?s double-header will help pay for medical costs for former footballers Marischal (Mop) Astwood, Troy Smith and Vernon Symonds.

Meanwhile, only two Premier Division matches have been scheduled for tomorrow at opposite ends of the Island.

At Lords, Premier Division newcomers St.David?s Warriors will face a baptism of fire against a Somerset Trojans outfit looking to make an early statement to the rest of the league.

History will then be made at White Hill Field when promoted Paget lock horns with PHC Zebras in their first ever match in top flight football in a contest that could go either way.