Bashley entertain Corinthian Casuals tonight (7.45) with a squad that reflects the more cosmopolitan flavour of the largely London-based Ryman League.

Having already established one Republic of Guinea player, Mamadouba Toure, as a regular in their squad, Bashley are in the process of getting international clearance for his fellow countryman, Mohamed Lamine Fofana, who showed up well in pre-season.

Both teenagers are sons of London-based diplomats and are in the country on student visas.

Eighteen-year-old Toure, a former Guinea under-17 international, broke into the Bashley reckoning towards the end of John Robson's reign last season and is rated by reserve/youth reserve boss Paul Darke as having "a big future".

Fofana is still living in London, but is expected to move down to the Southampton area once his international clearance comes through.

Another of Bashley's exotically-named youngsters, the multi-talented Alomgir (Sayem) Kabir, was instrumental in getting the Foresters' Ryman Division 1 campaign off to a flying start with a 2-1 win at Croydon on Saturday.

The Eastleigh-based 20-year-old played the full 90 minutes in place of the suspended Paul Gazzard at right-back.

Darke explained: "Sayem's a student at Southampton Institute, who played for our reserves last season. He's a very versatile player, who's been with Eastleigh and Havant & Waterlooville in the past. He did very well in the friendlies and, because we've got such a small squad, he's managed to break into the first team and he's coped well."

With new manager Geoff Butler intent on tapping into more London-based youth talent, recommended by his former Weymouth charge Danny Bailey, pictured right, there could be many more new names to conjure with at the Recreation Ground. One, 19-year-old former Bury defender Andrew Julius, made his debut on Saturday and centre-forward Saleem Grant played the last ten minutes.

Gazzard will be missing again tonight after being hit with a six-match ban for an alleged racial remark last season. Richard Gillespie, two-goal hero of the Croydon win, should be fit to start despite being taken off as a precaution on 79 minutes after recent back problems. The same applies to Dave Wakefield, who took a slight knock.

Newport IoW's braveheart skipper Simon Pilcher will fight through the pain barrier at Horsham tonight.

The influential defender was injured in Saturday's 2-0 opening day defeat by Croydon Athletic, but heroically stayed on.

"That's typical Simon," smiled manager John Linington. "Everything was hurting - his back, neck and shoulders, you name it. But there's no way he'll miss tonight. He's a big part of what we do."