of a place in the CAC Games in Venezuela next month, according to national coach Clyde Best.

An angry Best yesterday returned from St. Kitts where the Under-21s suffered a 2-1 defeat by the host country in a qualifying game that they needed to win by a two-goal margin.

And he was quick to criticise the referee who disallowed four Bermuda goals -- all `scored' from corner kicks -- which killed Bermuda's hopes of advancing.

"We got robbed down there, no doubt about it,'' said Best.

"We had to win by two goals and we had four goals disallowed from corner kicks ... and they were all good goals.

"I am just tired of going down there in the Caribbean and having a referee's bad decision decide our fate each time. This Guyanese referee was more of a cricket umpire than a soccer referee.

"To me that was ridiculous. You take the boys down there, they give their all and they get robbed. It was not as if we got beat because we didn't, we were clearly robbed.'' Bermuda's lone goal came from John Barry Nusum who struck twice in the team's 2-2 draw against Barbados on Sunday. Barbados advanced to the CAC Games.

Best recalled similar difficulties Bermuda experienced at Caribbean tournaments dating back to the days when he was a player -- and he said it was time the Caribbean Football Union "got their act together''.

"That's the Caribbean for you. As far as I am concerned Bermuda is the only Island that gives everything and gets nothing in return. The CFU really have a lot of work to do.

"To have to deal with the various situations such as poor referees, uncertainty about where you are going to be staying and when the tournament is going to be held.. it's too much. There has to be a big improvement.

"As far as the poor officiating in St. Kitts was concerned, all of the goals that were disallowed were from corner kicks, so that tells you how bad they were defending. Decisions like those were rough. People have to know that the boys gave their all and they should have qualified ... but we can't qualify if we receive this kind of unfair treatment.

"FIFA say that they want fair play ... but what happens when a referee constantly makes decisions like this.

"Naturally I can put in a report about this but nine times out of ten nothing is going to be done. But I really believe that something has to be done because it's not fair on the players. It's tough to tell youngsters to play fair when it's blatantly clear that things are going against them.'' Best said he felt sorry for the players because they produced a high standard of soccer in both matches, drawing against Barbados in a game they should have won and then playing well enough to get past St. Kitts.

One consolation for at least nine of the players is that they will be involved in the Under-20 national squad's World Cup qualifying round in Jamaica next month.

Best, meanwhile, is excited about the BFA's plans to have the senior national squad play an international match every month as a build-up to the next World Cup.

"It's great. It's the only way we are going to improve. You can do all the coaching you want but the game is played on the field and the game is the best teacher. We are the only country that goes into competitions without having games for our squads on a regular basis,'' he said.

"You look at the teams that are now here in the Youth Tournament. I bet they have had lots of games before coming. We simply have to understand the importance of preparation. The importance of match fitness is different from the importance of training fitness.'' CLYDE BEST -- lashed out at the Guyanese referee who disallowed four Bermuda goals in the Under-21 team's 2-1 loss to St. Kitts this week. The defeat cost Bermuda a place in next month's CAC Games.