Devonshire Cougars striker Aljame Zuill is on fire.

With only 180 minutes of football under his belt, the seasoned marksman has already shaken the back of the net on five occasions.

Zuill netted a brace against North Village in the Charity Cup and then went one better last weekend in helping himself to a clinical second-half hat-trick during the Big Cats? 5-4 Martonmere Cup Group A win over PHC Zebras, leaving Cougars fans only wondering what heights can be reached once the striker is reunited with the dynamic duo of Heys Wolfe and Raymond Beach in attack.

The former Devonshire Colts poacher attributes his current goalscoring success to hard training, a personal dedication to playing in memory of late team-mate Corey Smith and a burning desire to prove his club?s sceptics wrong.

?I have always loved scoring goals and it really doesn?t bother me which position or role the coach asks me to play. It?s all about team work and I?ve been around this game long enough not to be focusing on individualism. I don?t have any time for that sort of attitude,? Zuill told

Last year saw Zuill win Premier Division championship and Friendship Trophy medals with Cougars to add to previous achievements at former club Colts where he burst onto the senior domestic football scene at the age of 16.

The 29 year-old striker netted a memorable brace in Cougars 3-1 Friendship win over Zebras at the National Sports Centre.

The Cougars player shared club goalscoring honours (19 in all competitions) with fellow poacher Raymond Beach prior to the latter?s suspension for failure to turn up for a third national team drugs test last January.

Like his team-mates, Zuill has also set himself goals.

?Our goals this season are to retain the League and Friendship Trophy and anything else we can,? he said. ?But I have to give thanks to my coach (Andrew Bascome) and goalkeepers (Dyke Lawrence and Ricky Brangman Jr) because they make me work hard in training.?

Cougars kicked off the new season on a low note, losing to Village in the Charity Cup before rebounding via Saturday?s high-scoring win over Zebras.

But while Zuill is pleased to be finding the back of the net with regularity, the fact Cougars have conceded eight goals in two matches bothers him.

It?s no secret the Big Cats possess plenty of firepower in their arsenal, but their defensive record over the past few season has left much to be desired.

Cougars captured a first-ever league title last season ? coach Bascome?s first full campaign at the helm ? but finished with the fourth worst defensive record (24 goals against) in the top flight.

?It?s not right for us to be giving up goals so easily,? Zuill continued. ?Therefore, Andrew has been putting a lot of emphasis on our defence in training.?

Bascome has been put to task shoring up a porous rearguard which has virtually handed Dandy Town two cup titles in as many seasons. Hornets captured the 2004 FA Cup after coming from behind late in the first match to force a replay before letting the cat out of the bag yet again during last winter?s inaugural Champions Cup final at White Hill Field.

Zuill is also driven by another incentive ? a passionate commitment to a gone but not forgotten friend and team-mate.

?I dedicated last season to Corey (Smith) and that?s why I wear the number 14 jersey. I played with him at Colts and also at Cougars and knew him all my life,? he explained.

Smith was tragically killed in a bike accident a few years ago.

After many years trying to earn a spot on Bermuda?s national squad, Zuill was finally given a shot after being invited to train with Kyle Lightbourne?s team late last year.

?I have to thank Kyle because he gave me a chance and I took the opportunity. I tried for many years to get in the squad but there were always doubts over my ability,? he said.

Zuill made his debut in Bermuda team jersey against St.Vincent.

?I have now proven I can make the sacrifices . . . all I needed was a chance. But right now I am having a lot of fun and it would be nice if Cougars picked up a few more trophies this season.

?Before Cougars were always labelled as renegades or rebels. But now I think people are beginning to sit up and take note that we are a people?s team.

?But everyone is showing more maturity and steadily progressing and this will only benefit the club as a whole and help our youth programme move forward.?