The departure of Brandon Minors has left Dandy Town without a key member of their defensive unit, not that you would know it.

In the absence of the most successful captain in the club’s history, Jomar Wilkinson’s side have made a storming start to the new Premier Division season.

Unbeaten in their first three games, Town have conceded just once, while scoring thirteen in commanding victories over Robin Hood, PHC and Devonshire Cougars.

However, Town’s toughest test of the season comes tomorrow, against Somerset Trojans, the defending champions, who they beat 3-0 in the Charity Cup in September, one of Minors’s last games for the club.

On the attacking side there is more to come, with Drewonde Bascome becoming eligible to play for his new club on November 15 after a late transfer, following his last-minute decision not to sign for North Village.

And while Town have been banging in the goals, it is the team’s defending that has pleased Wilkinson, the Dandy Town coach, the most so far.

Last season their slow start to the campaign ultimately cost them a shot at the title, this season, however, they have been firing from the start.

“We understand we haven’t done anything yet, that we have to continue to get better which we are, one game at a time,” Wilkinson said.

“Our main objective is to make sure we’re better than we were last season defensively, and I take more pride in the fact that we’ve only conceded one goal.

“Offensively we’ve already been talented, but defensively is an area we knew where we had to improve on.”

Town will be meeting a Somerset team that will be determined to bounce back from a home defeat against Southampton Rangers last weekend, the same Rangers side that was hammered 6-1 at home by Robin Hood the previous week. It’s been that type of season already.

Even Town had a hiccup, losing to Devonshire Cougars in the Dudley Eve.

“They [Somerset] are the defending champions and have the target on their back,” Wilkinson said.

“They are definitely the team to beat. Yes, we’ve won a few games, but they have the trophy we want and in order for us to get that trophy we have to go through them.”

Town have enough depth in their squad to replace their captain, with Angelo Simmons taking on the role.

“Brandon [Minors] has gone on to bigger and better things, his life has moved him to Europe and we miss him, he was the most successful captain ever at Dandy Town,” Wilkinson said. “He will always be in our hearts and a legend to us, and I’m sure he wants us to push on and represent the club in the manner that he always represented us.

“He was a fringe player three or four years ago, struggling to make the team, but he showed a lot of perseverance and before we knew it Brandon was our captain. He always set a good example for our youngsters and the team, always the first on the field and the last to leave.

The coach is excited, also, about Bascome’s decision to move to St John’s Field after feeling that a move to North Village was not the right one.

“We’ve been courting Drewonde for some time now and he finally made the decision to come to Dandy Town which we’re happy about,” Wilkinson said.

“One thing we’re also happy about is he has decided to train although he isn’t eligible to play, and that says a lot about his character. It seems like a seamless transition for him. He’s got a couple of weeks under his belt, working extremely hard, and the boys have taken to him.

“He’s definitely got the talent, and he has shown me that he’s got the character and heart that he needs in order to play for Dandy Town.

“He’s a born winner and definitely will be a major asset to this team and help to take us to the next level. We’re looking forward to having him in a brown jersey.”

In other matches this weekend Devonshire Colts, second in the league, take on Southampton Rangers at Southampton Oval, while Boulevard host Robin Hood at Police Field, and North Village take on Hamilton Parish at Bernard Park.