GUERNSEY champions they may be, but Darren Ogier would not be surprised if Sylvans did not claim the first silverware of the season. The island manager believes St Martin’s could benefit from the westerners having a weakened side when the teams meet at St Peter’s tomorrow in the Women’s Charity Shield (kick-off 2pm).

But when it comes to the main prize, Ogier has tipped the westerners to retain the league title.

‘I would think Sylvans are still favourites; they won it last season, but they do have Lisa Sylvester out injured and Kerrie Hussey is suspended at the moment so they might be struggling for numbers early on. Nicky Johns is also going travelling,’ he said.

‘St Martin’s look strong although Annie Machon is unavailable because she is expecting twins.

‘Saints have a couple of good youngsters up front in Lisa Sebire and Eleanor Holden and a lot of experience in other positions. Those two are the teams to beat.’

This season the Cable & Wireless Women’s League has increased in number by one to six teams, with all Priaulx clubs except Bels represented.

Ogier said that, away from the top two, the other sides were generally unknown quantities.

‘North are a new team and so you do not really know what to expect from them although they have some useful players such as Anna Harvey and Corinna Le Noury,’ he said.

‘Rangers have got some good, exciting, young players but they are a bit unlucky that our Muratti captain, Gemma Bailey, is travelling until December.

‘Apparently Rovers have got some good kids they have developed coming through, so it will be interesting to see how they do.’

As for the Guernsey squad, Ogier is desperately looking for more fixtures for his side this season.

Preparations for the last Muratti were hindered by the Sarnians not having any warm-up matches and the manager emphasised that that needed to be rectified.

‘We are looking at having a tour away before the Muratti. We are also hopeful of trying to get a team over here to play, but nothing has been confirmed.

‘Last year we played the Muratti without a single game beforehand. We went straight from the Island Games to the Muratti with nothing in between and we need to change that.’

After the Muratti, there is the 2005 NatWest Island Games to look forward to.

The Guernsey manager has been very pleased with the enthusiastic reaction he has had from his players about going to the Shetlands, but admits that they could face some top-quality opposition there.

‘We have had a good response to the Island Games next year. Quite a few girls have already shown an interest in going,’ Ogier said.

‘Indications are, though, that there are going to be some very good sides there. Bermuda, for example, are due to go and they have a Fifa ranking.’

His aims for this season are to continue the work he began in his first season in charge of the representative side when he brought in a lot of fresh faces and gave youth its chance.

‘We played a team [in the Muratti] that was really young: we had seven new caps.

‘I hope that we can develop them more and get a couple of more-experienced players, such as Lisa, back to fitness and strengthen the squad,’ said Ogier.