THE date was March 2, 1968.

The opponents were Guatemala.

The occasion was a replay of an Olympic qualifying match.

The venue was the National Stadium in El Salvador which qualified as "neutral ground" despite the fact that El Salvador and Guatemala are neighbours.

The match will remain in the memories of some of the finest football players who have ever played for Bermuda ? people like former West Ham striker Clyde Best, former pro and later head coach Gary Darrell, tough defender Kenny Cann along with Bubba Daniels, Rudy Minors and Tinty Ming. The match will also be etched into the memory of highly respected Bermuda coach Graham Adams.

It was on March 2, 1968 that Bermuda became aware of the so called "passion" of Central and South American football supporters who have so little to look forward to in life except their beloved game.

The match was also a time when Bermuda players had a right to fear for their lives.

The first leg of the Olympic qualifying matches was played in Guatemala and finished 1-1. The second leg played at the National Stadium in Bermuda before an estimated 8,000 fans (the most ever for a match in Bermuda) was still level at 0-0 in extra time when darkness closed in and the match couldn't go on. FIFA then dictated that the replay would be played in "neutral" El Salvador.

And the thousands and thousands of Guatemala fans who hopped across the border and packed the stadium were worried ? especially when Bermuda went up 1-0 in the first half through Rudy Smith. But a minute before full time Guatemala equalised and it took 20 minutes before the pitch was cleared of the hysterical supporters.

During those 20 minutes Bermuda coach Smith was punched twice in the stomach ? once with a knuckleduster ? and Guatemalan fans threw bottles and tin cans at Bermuda's players.

Coach Smith said after the match: "If we had won we would have been dead men. Those Guatemalan fans were for victory at all costs ? and the players knew it." After arriving back in Bermuda following the 2-1 defeat Smith said: "If we'd had won I doubt whether many of us would have survived."

During his half-time talk with the players, Smith said: "I told the players that if we were rushed at the end to make for the centre of the pitch."

As the second half started coming to a close thousands of Guatemalans lined the pitch ready for battle. Coach Smith recalled: "As the minutes ticked away, the Guatemalans closed in. Eventually they were on the touchlines and then edging on to the pitch. I did my best to restrain some of them and then wham, wham! I was punched in the stomach by some Guatemalans."

Bermuda's players, rattled by the threatening behaviour of the Guatemalan thugs, let their superb defence slip for a second and Guatemala scored.

The Guatemalan fans raced on to the pitch despite the fact that they were surrounded by gun-totting Salvadorian police. Coach Smith said later: "Not that the police knew how to use them."

But Bermuda still pressed in extra time and it was only for the efforts of the Guatemalan goalkeeper that rockets from Best and Bubba Daniels did not hit the back of the net.

After 15 minutes Guatemala scored and that was the end of Bermuda's Olympic dream.

Gladwin Daniels said after the match: "I certainly won't like to experience anything like this again, gosh!"

Another member of the Bermuda party said: "In the end we will come through and show these soccer-mad Central Americans just what good sportsmanship is....it was disgusting treatment from start to finish."