An electrical connector assembly comprising: a connector housing having a front end and a receiving cavity that opens to the front end, the receiving cavity being sized and shaped to receive a mating connector therein that is inserted into the receiving cavity along a central axis of the connector housing; a contact array of electrical contacts (132, 133) disposed within the receiving cavity, the electrical contacts (132, 133) having corresponding elongated bodies (134, 135) that extend generally parallel to the central axis; and a movable guard within the receiving cavity, the movable guard comprising a dielectric sheet that extends transverse to the central axis and has an array of thru-holes (180A, 180B, 182A, 182B), each of the thru-holes (180A, 180B, 182A, 182B) being shaped by a corresponding inner edge of the dielectric sheet, the movable guard configured to slide along the central axis from the forward position to a deeper position within the receiving cavity when engaged by the mating connector, characterised in that the movable guard is configured to be slidably held by the contact array within the receiving cavity and in that the thru-holes (180A, 180B, 182A, 182B) include clearance thru-holes (180A, 180B) and frictional thru-holes (182A, 182B), wherein the inner edges of the frictional thru-holes (182A, 182B) engage corresponding electrical contacts (132, 133) of the contact array to hold the movable guard at a forward position within the receiving cavity, the clearance thru-holes (180A, 180B) permitting corresponding electrical contacts (132, 133) of the contact array to move freely therethrough when aligned with the corresponding electrical contacts (132, 133). a connector housing having a front end and a receiving cavity that opens to the front end, the receiving cavity being sized and shaped to receive a mating connector therein that is inserted into the receiving cavity along a central axis of the connector housing; a contact array of electrical contacts (132, 133) disposed within the receiving cavity, the electrical contacts (132, 133) having corresponding elongated bodies (134, 135) that extend generally parallel to the central axis; and a movable guard within the receiving cavity, the movable guard comprising a dielectric sheet that extends transverse to the central axis and has an array of thru-holes (180A, 180B, 182A, 182B), each of the thru-holes (180A, 180B, 182A, 182B) being shaped by a corresponding inner edge of the dielectric sheet, the movable guard configured to slide along the central axis from the forward position to a deeper position within the receiving cavity when engaged by the mating connector, characterised in that the movable guard is configured to be slidably held by the contact array within the receiving cavity and in that the thru-holes (180A, 180B, 182A, 182B) include clearance thru-holes (180A, 180B) and frictional thru-holes (182A, 182B), wherein the inner edges of the frictional thru-holes (182A, 182B) engage corresponding electrical contacts (132, 133) of the contact array to hold the movable guard at a forward position within the receiving cavity, the clearance thru-holes (180A, 180B) permitting corresponding electrical contacts (132, 133) of the contact array to move freely therethrough when aligned with the corresponding electrical contacts (132, 133).