There?s no rest for the champions.

Five days after edging by Somerset Trojans in extra-time of a replay to advance to the next round of the FA Cup, defending Premier Division champions Devonshire Cougars find themselves pitted against cross-town rivals Dandy Town in tomorrow?s top-of-the-table clash at the Den.

And it remains to be seen whether Andrew Bascome?s band of self-believers have recovered in time from a bruising cup tie which spanned 240 minutes.

Cougars, who presently trail unbeaten leaders Trojans by a single point, will look to either overhaul or keep pace with the West Enders while fourth-placed Town, having already lost twice this campaign, cannot afford to exit the Den with anything less than a point in order to keep their title hopes alive.

As is always the case in local derbies, the game has the potential to be a real cliffhanger and could be decided by the odd goal.

Town edged Cougars 2-1 last October en route to clinching a fifth Martonmere Cup title, and Cougars boss Bascome anticipates tomorrow?s clash to be just as close.

He told : ?Dandy Town always seem to have our number. But our guys have grown a lot and are more up to the task of taking on the challenge.

?The rivalry between the two clubs has always been there, even when I was coaching at Town.?

Bascome coached Hornets to the 2001 league title before going into brief retirement following Town?s 2002 FA Cup final loss to his former club North Village.

Earlier this year he became the first coach in local football history to win a third league championship coaching a third different club.

He added: ?There?s always been this rivalry because a few of our players (Heys Wolfe, Kwame Steede and Raymond Beach) came up through Town?s junior ranks. So I think it does become a bit personal at times.

?I think Town always make it their business not to let Cougars beat them. But our team has grown a lot in character ? especially the other night (Tuesday). For the second match (replay) we had a lot of injuries and so I didn?t set up to play much football. We just went out there to play FA Cup football, get a result and get it over with because I had four injured players on the pitch.?

The sight of key striker Aljame Zuill, Wolfe and defender Ijahmon Mallory all limping after Tuesday?s win over the Trojans might have added to the team?s injury woes.

Cougars entered Tuesday?s clash with Domico Coddington, Steede, Mallory and Shawn Smith all among the walking wounded.

?I just wanted to nurse them through. I wasn?t even sure they would make it,? Bascome added. ?But now it?s important we don?t lose tomorrow. We have to do what we have to do to get the job done and it?s important we don?t lose because we have home field advantage.

?So we just have to come up with a formation best for the team that protects us and use the resources we have in order to get the job done ? as you saw the other night.?

Tomorrow?s other top-of-the-table clash sees Trojans hosting third place North Village at Somerset Cricket Club.

Trojans defeated Village 3-1 after extra-time last October to advance to a 12th Martonmere Cup final.

The home team will be eager to bounce back from their midweek loss to Cougars. However, they might find their work cut against a Village side that has whipped home 16 goals ? albeit against weaker opposition ? in 180 minutes of football.

Elsewhere, fifth-placed PHC Zebras host sixth-placed Boulevard at Southampton Oval while Devonshire should pick up a second straight win of the season against cellar dwellers Ireland Rangers at Police Field.

In First Division action, a lot can change at the top of the table as league leaders St.David?s host third-placed Wolves at Lords and second-placed Paget are away to fifth-placed Southampton Rangers at the Oval.

Prospect, fresh off a ten-day tour of Belgium, host Hamilton Parish at Police Field, Somerset Eagles are at home to X Roads and Social Club tackle fourth-placed St.George?s at Bernard Park.