Devonshire Cougars will be looking to pounce all over cross town rivals North Village tomorrow at Bernard Park as the 2004-05 football season shifts into high gear.

With a berth in this month?s Martonmere Cup semi-finals already tucked under their belt, the big cats begin the gruelling quest to overcome the final hurdle and finally land the AT&T Premier Division championship ? something Cougars came to within two points of achieving last season.

After cruising to recent 4-1 and 3-0 wins over Somerset Eagles and Southampton Rangers, indications suggest Cougars ? without the services of suspended strikers Heys Wolfe and Raymond Beach ? are still firing on all cylinders.

However, the visiting team could encounter stubborn resistance from a Reds team which doesn?t intend to lay down and play dead or become the big cat?s latest prey.

As well as having home field advantage, Village?s ranks will be bolstered by the return of inspirational player/coach Kentoine Jennings, midfield schemer Keith Jennings and ?keeper Zane Hendrickson while Cougars are set to welcome imposing midfielder Mark Smith and former Reds? player Domico Coddington back into the fold.

Cougars edged out Village 3-2 at the Den last January in the previous meeting between these two urban warriors to sweep the league series.

However, Village coach Kentoine Jennings reckons the game-face crew now have ?something to prove? over their nearby rivals during tomorrow?s league season opener at the Park.

?This is a game both teams are looking forward to the most because we have had a good rivalry over the years,? he said.

?Cougars are a team looking to go one step further than they have been over the last few years and so I think both teams are going to be up for the match.?

Jennings said his players want to put their best foot forward and are ready for the challenge before adding: ?The team that wants it the most will ultimately prevail.?

?Whoever takes their chances will prevail,? he said.

?But I think the pressure is on every team to get a good start at the beginning of the season and whenever you have two good teams capable of beating anybody on the day then the pressure is more evenly placed on both teams and both have something to prove.?

Cougars coach Andrew Bascome believes his team also have a ?point? to prove.

?Both teams will take a point to the game but we must make sure that we at least bring a point back,? said the former Red Devil and Bermuda midfielder.

?Village are not going to be any pushovers and we can never underestimate them because they can put a good team on the field at any time. So it?s going to be very tough and the pressure is going to be on us because of our performances in our first two games.?

Elsewhere tomorrow, defending league champions Dandy Town open the defence of their crown when they travel to Southampton Oval to take on division newcomers PHC Zebras while former Southampton Rangers player/coach Meshach Wade comes up against his former club when Boulevard host Southampton at BAA Field.

Rangers will be without midfielder Travis Wilkinson who begins a one match suspension after being sent off in a recent Martonmere Cup Group B clash with Cougars at the same venue. However, striker Janeiro Tucker looks set to make his first appearance of the season in attack.

The previous league encounter between the two clubs ended in a 1-1 draw at Southampton Oval last February.

In the remaining Premier Division contest, Somerset Eagles will seek to avenge last season?s FA Cup defeat to division newcomers Somerset Trojans when the two West End clubs renew their perennial derby rivalry at White Hill Field.

In First Division action, Ireland Rangers host St.George?s at Malabar, a depleted Hamilton Parish side take on Wolves in the first match of a double header at Lords while Paget host Prospect at White Hill Field.

Remaining fixtures see returning Social Club take on newcomers X Road Warriors at Bernard park while St.David?s host Devonshire Colts at Lords.