What a difference a year makes.

Last November, Dandy Town Hornets had collected just one point from four games and were already ten points adrift in defence of their Premier Division title. Now Hornets are setting the pace in the top flight with maximum points from four outings while Somerset Trojans are stuttering in their title defence.

Town exited the Dudley Eve Trophy competition in the semi-finals as PHC replaced them as champions, but quickly put that disappointment behind them with victory over Trojans last weekend to remain the only team in the league with a perfect record.

Drewonde Bascome, a late transfer, is expected to make his debut for Town when they travel to Southampton Oval to meet a Rangers side sitting fourth in the standings.

Bascome transferred from Devonshire Cougars to North Village initially, but decided against staying with the Rams and applied to join Town.

Late transfers will be eligible to play on Sunday although the deadline will be extended to the end of November.

Robin Hood will be without their top striker, Antwan Russell, when they travel to Police Field to meet Devonshire Colts in a clash between second and third. Russell was sent off on Wednesday in the Dudley Eve Trophy final against PHC which Hood lost 2-0.

Town’s bid for a fifth straight win will not be an easy one at Southampton Oval as Rangers seem to have put last month’s 6-1 home thrashing at the hands of Hood behind them, having followed that up with victory over Somerset, and then a draw against Colts, who remain unbeaten after five matches.

Somerset’s defence of the league title resembles that of Chelsea, the Barclays Premier League champions, having collected just five points from their first five games, with Keishon Smith, the Somerset coach, finding the going tough in his new job.

Trojans are already seven points behind Town and a Monday night visit to Devonshire Recreation Club to meet last-placed Cougars could be their opportunity to begin turning their season around.

Cougars, also with a new coach in Kwame Steede, have lost all four matches in the league along with Hamilton Parish and are both looking like early-season relegation tips.

Parish take on PHC as Zebras make a second visit to Wellington Oval in four days, no doubt high on confidence after their victory in the Dudley Eve Trophy final two days ago.

In Sunday’s other match Village entertain Boulevard in a derby match at Bernard Park. Village are fifth in the standings on six points while Boulevard are third from bottom, although four points better off than Parish and Cougars.

Young Men’s Social Club and St David’s are setting the early pace in the First Division promotion race, tied at the top on ten points, three more than Flanagan’s Onions.

Both teams should pick up wins on Sunday, with Social Club away to Somerset Eagles and St David’s also travelling to the West End, to meet Paget at Southampton Oval. In the other match, St George’s host X-Roads at Wellington Oval. Onions play BAA Wanderers on Saturday night at Goose Gosling Field at 9pm, while Wolves face Ireland Island Rangers in Monday’s first match at Devonshire Recreation Club.