Lightbourne: Bermuda must go back to finishing school

Colin Thompson

Published Mar 27, 2018 at 8:00 am (Updated Mar 26, 2018 at 9:29 pm)

Wasted opportunities: Justin Donawa spurned two glorious chances against Barbados (File photograph)

Kyle Lightbourne, the Bermuda coach, has urged his players to be more clinical in front of goal.

The Gombey Warriors wasted far too many chances for the former Coventry City, Stoke City and Walsall striker’s liking in recent international friendlies away to Antigua and Barbuda and Barbados.

Bermuda lost 3-2 to Antigua and played to a goalless draw against Barbados in two matches that Lightbourne believes his charges could have won with better execution in front of goal.

“We had four chances one-on-one with the keeper and only one of them hit the target,” Lightbourne said in the wake of Sunday’s draw with Barbados at the Usain Bolt Stadium. “We’ve got to do better than that. It’s been like that for us on this trip.

“The pitch was difficult to play on, but we should have won and we talked about that. But we also could’ve lost, because they had a great opportunity last kick of the game.”

Justin Donawa, one of four changes Lightbourne made from the team that played against Antigua four days earlier, squandered two glorious opportunities in the first half while substitute Lejuan Simmons had a wayward shot and a chip cleared away after being played through in the second.

Despite suffering defeat in their tour opener, Lightbourne believes Bermuda put in a better showing against Antigua at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

“Antigua was a much tougher game but I thought we played better against them than we did against Barbados,” he said.

Reggie Lambe, the Bermuda captain, added: “I thought we deserved more from [the Antigua] match. We caused our own problems.”

The two friendlies in the Caribbean served as preparations for Bermuda’s Concacaf Nations League matches away to Aruba in September and home to Sint Maarten and El Salvador in October and November.

Bermuda’s Concacaf Nations League qualifiers preparations continue next month with the arrival of the Oakville Blue Devils. The Ontario League 1 Champions will play two matches against a Bermuda Select XI on April 19 at the National Stadium before taking on a Premier Division All-Star Select at Goose Gosling Field three days later for the Elite Men’s Cup.

• Nathan Trott will be looking to earn a fourth England cap when Keith Downing’s England Under-20 squad host Portugal today at Manchester City’s Academy Stadium.

The West Ham United Under-23 goalkeeper has yet to concede a goal in his previous three outings at this level and featured in England’s 1-0 victory away to Poland last week.

• Devonshire Colts have been awarded the points from their January 21 First Division fixture against Wolves at Devonshire Recreation Club that was abandoned after a fight broke out between players from both teams, the Bermuda Football Association has confirmed.

The BFA also announced that the Masters KO Cup final between PHC Raiders and St George’s Stallions and the consolation final between Hamilton Parish and North Village Rams will take place at Southampton Oval on March 31.

The consolation final kicks off at 2pm followed by the final at 4pm.

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