ALL eyes will be on defending league, Martonmere and FA Cup champions PHC when the 2008-09 Premier Division campaign kicks off this weekend.

The Zebras, last season's most successful team, have already established themselves as the team to beat and have sent out an early warning to the would-be contenders after a winning start in the Martonmere Cup.

Coach Kyle Lightbourne chose not to weigh too much into PHC's shocking 7-1 win over North Village in the Charity Cup last month, saying that he still expected the Rams to be competitive once they get some games under their belt. Even so, the victory was certainly sweet revenge for the Zebras who suffered the humiliation of a 7-3 thrashing at the hands of the Rams in the Friendship Trophy final which dented PHC's triple crown hopes. PHC have been smarting all summer as Village gloated, but the margin of victory certainly settled the score!

Lightbourne has brought his professionalism to the team with a greater emphasis placed on fitness which enables them to snatch wins late in the game when other teams are tiring.

PHC open the defence of their league title on Sunday when they travel back to BAA Field to meet a Boulevard team aiming for a win after two losses in the Martonmere Cup. BAA have hosted all the Martonmere games so far and it has become a happy hunting ground for the Zebras who will probably look more like the home team than the Blazers who are hoping to start winning trophies again under the new coaching team of Andrew Bascome and Richard Todd.

Certainly PHC will be one of the main title contenders with Boulevard aiming to break into the top four and making a strong push for honours. One would expect the 'so-called' top four to be PHC, North Village, Devonshire Cougars and Dandy Town, but Village's early-season form might suggest otherwise. They have already leaked 16 goals in three Charity and Martonmere Cup games which would suggest they have some real defensive deficiencies to sort out if they are to be competitive this season. They remain the only team in the top division never to have been relegated, but it is too early to think that will change. One thing Village do know how to do is win games when the chips are down.

Newly promoted Southampton Rangers will be looking to capitalize on Village's mid-week massacre when they host them at Southampton Oval. Promoted teams usually start as relegation favourites and that looks to be the case with Rangers and Hamilton Parish, with Devonshire Colts possibly in the mix. Parish, who lost coach Meshach Wade to Dandy Town in the summer, will be hoping to have their first three points in the bag when they meet Devonshire Colts at BAA Field on Saturday night in the Premier Division's season-opener.

Colts, like Boulevard, were eliminated from the Martonmere Cup after losing to Dandy Town and Boulevard and now their focus must be on early points off the likes Parish, Cougars and Village this month.

Sunday's other Premier Division match sees Dandy Town taking on Cougars in what should be the top clash. Both teams are fresh off good performances in the Martonmere Cup where Town were the only team to finish with maximum points from their two group matches. It is already homecoming time for former Town player and coach Devarr Boyles who takes his new team to St. John's Field, while striker Raymond Beach, now back at Town, goes up against his former Cougars teammates as he renews his partnership with Heys Wolffe which was probably the most feared strike duo in local football a few years ago. Add Antoine Russell to the mix and Town will certainly not have problems scoring goals as was evidenced on Tuesday night against Village.

The First Division is again promising to produce a wide open battle for promotion as the likes of Somerset Trojans and Ireland Rangers seek a quick return to the top flight. Rangers sent out an early warning last weekend when they thrashed Wolves 6-1 in their season-opener, while Somerset's game with Prospect was rescheduled for November 4 because their field was not ready.

This weekend Ireland Rangers host St. David's in the clash of two 6-1 winners last weekend while Somerset welcome St. George's to the west end as both teams get their first match under their belts.

Young Men's Social Club will be looking for win number two when they host X-Roads at Bernard Park while Wolves meet BAA at Devonshire Rec. and Paget take on their landlords Somerset Eagles at White Hill Field.

Schedule

First Division: YMSC v X-Roads (Bernard .Park); Wolves v BAA (Dev. Rec); Paget v Somerset Eagles (White Hill); Somerset v St. George's (Someset , 3.00); Ireland Rangers v St. David's (Malabar, 3.00). Matches start at 12.30 unless stated.

Premier Division: Saturday ¿ Dev.Colts v Ham. Parish (BAA Field 8.00).

Sunday ¿ Boulevard v PHC (BAA Field); Dandy Town v Dev.Cougars (St. John's Field); Southampton Rangers v North Village (S.Oval).

Women's FM Cup: Dandy Stars v NV Lady Rams (St. John's); Somerset Hurricanes v Prospect (Somerset). Both matches at 12.30.

Tuesday

First Division: St. George's v Paget (BAA Field, 7.00); BAA v YMSC (BAA Field 9.00).