[naviga:font color="Blue"]Bermuda Hogges 1[/naviga:font]

Holder 86

P’burgh Riverhouds 2

Labudouski 10, Bonseu 45

For two-and-a-half seasons Kyle Lightbourne, Shaun Goater and Paul Scope have pumped money into the Bermuda Hogges with very little to show for their efforts.

And if there is any honour amongst the Hogges players then this morning they will be handing back the cash they were paid for last night's disgraceful performance.

It would be different if this were a one-off, a bad night when everything had gone wrong. But it wasn't. Displays such as this have become the rule, rather than the exception.

First half goals from Tony Labudouski and Tenywa Bonseu were enough to consign Lightbourne's side to their sixth defeat in seven games.

After a blistering start to the season, Hogges briefly flirted with the top of the table. They are now firmly rooted to the bottom, four points behind Riverhouds.

It was not as if the Hogges were played off the park, Riverhouds were far from impressive but they had no need to be. The visiting team were solid, took their chances when they came, and it was enough.

In contrast the Hogges produced a soulless performance lacking in belief, desire, or any form of professional pride. A team that purports to include the best Bermuda has to offer were exposed as a bunch of shrinking violets.

It is hard not to feel some sympathy for Lightbourne, who had to sit and watch the likes of Antwan Russell, Stevie Astwood, and Sammy DeGraff, plumb new depths of wretchedness.

The game might have been enitrely different had either Domico Coddington or Russell managed to score from two yards with only minutes gone.

A corner caused chaos in the Riverhounds penalty area, and Coddington stooped low to head the ball straight at goalkeeper Danny Waltman.

The goalkeeper's parry went as far as Russell who somehow missed from a yard away.

Four minutes later and the Hogges were behind.

Labudouski out jumped Omar Shakir at the near post from a long throw, and his faintest of flick-ons, rolled tamely past goalkeeper Nigel Burgess and into the goal.

From the moment the ball crossed the line the Hogges lost interest.

And the only surprise was that it took until the stroke of half time for Riverhouds to get their second, a diving header from Bonseu who was left unmarked from a Justin Evans free kick.

In between the two goals the Hogges failed to put a coherent move together, and Russell's inaction upfront summed up the entire side's performance.

The second half was little better, and despite the introduction of several substitutes the Hogges failed to make any meaningful impact on the game.

Russell was eventually put out of his misery to make way for Lloyd Holder, but the petulant manner in which he left the field should be his last act in a Hogges jersey.

Holder meanwhile did what he always does, and grabbed a late goal. But it was too little, too late.

Hogges' season is as good as over, and Lightbourne, so often quick to look at the positive side of life is quickly developing the worn expression of a man who has finally decided that enough is enough.

"Both their goals were gifts tonight," said a dejected Lighbourne after the game.

"We were very poor, especially in the first half and I almost made four substitutions at half time as no player had exactly given a great performance.

"You can definitely say that's the end of our play-off hopes. We're now four points behind Riverhounds who are the next team and must win tomorrow to close the gap.

"We must dig in and stick together and try and finish the season on a positive note."

Bermuda Hogges (4-4-2): N Burgess – K Richards, D Cox, O Shakir, J Ball – D Ming (sub: J Smith, 76), S Astwood (sub: T Russell, 46), S DeGraff (sub: S Darrell, 46), B Bean (sub: L Dill, 57) – A Russell (sub: L Holder, 71), D Coddington. Subs not used: J Williams (gk), J Peniston. Booked Russell, Shakir.

Pittsburgh Riverhouds (4-1-4-1): D Waltman – R Bragg, T Bonseu, N Salsi, E Hayden – N Katic (sub: S Cameron, 46) – J Kutney (sub: J Zewe, 67), J Evans, T Labudouski (sub: A Brown, 90), T Gray (sub: J Hughes, 76) – R Jerome (sub: S Bucknor, 77). Subs not used: E Barnes (gk), C Riley. Booked Hayden.

Man of the match: J Evans (Pittsburgh)