Devonshire Cougars are hoping to rediscover the competitive edge which swept them to a first-ever Premier Division league title and Friendship Trophy glory even in the absence of key players last season.

The Big Cats take on last season?s other most successful club, North Village, in Sunday?s season-opening Charity Cup clash at BAA Field where they will be seeking to put an end to their cross-town rivals? three-year stranglehold on the showpiece.

But, as was the case for the second half of last season, Cougars will have to do battle without key strikers Heys Wolfe and Raymond Beach as well as midfield wizard Domico Coddington.

Wolfe is presently off the Island while Beach continues to serve out a ban for failure to take a mandatory national squad drugs test on the eve of Brazilian champions Santos? brief tour of Bermuda earlier this year.

Wolfe and defender Omar Butterfield were also banned for the same reason but had their playing status reinstated over the summer months, according to club sources, while Coddington is nearing the end of a short-term commitment playing semi-professional football in Toronto.

Beach is sidelined until the start of the second half of the season early next January while veteran players Neil (Diamond) Robinson and Shawn Smith ? back for another term after contemplating retirement at the conclusion of last season ? are also doubtful for Sunday?s contest against the Reds because of work commitments.

Still, Cougars assistant coach Gary (Tuba) Mallory, himself a former Village player, is confident the Big Cats can pick up where they left off last season ? basking in cup glory after clinching a first Friendship Trophy over PHC Zebras at the National Sports Centre in April.

?We respect Village and I would like to think the feeling is mutual. We have enough respect for them but at the same time we are turning up to win and do expect it to be another good battle between the two clubs,? said Mallory

?The commitment from the players in training has been really good and they have been receptive to the instructions. And basically we have the same squad from last year.?

One new addition to Cougars? ranks is Mallory?s son, Ijahmon, who transferred from Somerset Trojans.

Mallory added: ?Last season we did extremely well playing without several key players. Obviously we do miss what they bring to the table, but at the same time their unavailability affords others in the team a chance to prove themselves.?

While Mallory smiled at the prospect of adding more silverware to the trophy cabinet, winning, he insisted, would not be the club?s sole objective on Sunday.

?It?s always nice to win but at the same time we are using this as a pre-season match to gauge ourselves just as any other team does whether it be in the Charity or Martonmere Cup competitions,? he added.

The last time these two clubs met in the Charity Cup was in 2003 with Village running out 3-1 victors at BAA Field.

Having emerged from the shadows, in terms of cup-winning success, Mallory now expects opposing teams to come gunning for Cougars this season.

His side, though, will also have a point to prove, Mallory warned.

?We have to prove to everyone that we are worthy of being champions and more than capable of handling the challenge,? he said. ?Teams will have to bring their A game along in order to beat us because we are looking to grow in strength with each passing game.

?We don?t intend to disrespect anybody. But at the same time we are looking to gain some respect from the public and media right along down to the Bermuda Football Association because everyone has labelled this team this or that.

?But I think respect is due and that?s what we aim to do this season . . . show people respect and at the same time earn the respect of others.?

Mallory, however, declined to speculate on whether coach Andrew Bascome would return to playing Premier Division football on a part-time basis.

?Anything is possible and we do have some surprises in store for the upcoming season,? he smiled. ?We have a lot of cards to draw from and whichever one we draw will be done so at the most appropriate and opportune time.

?We have a few surprises but some of them we prefer to keep close to our chest.?