Bermuda must learn to put their rivals "out of their misery" when they get the upper hand in international competition, coach Mark Trott has declared.

Highly satisfied with the side's two wins and a draw from their trip to Iowa over the weekend, Trott was nevertheless concerned about a lapse of concentration in the key match against the Des Moines Menace.

Leading 3-0 on Saturday thanks to goals from John Barry Nusum, Stephen Astwood and Marvin Belboda, Bermuda threw away their advantage by allowing the Professional Development League (PDL) side to hit a quickfire double.

Thankfully the Islanders' hard work was not undone completely, Belboda scoring a fourth with five minutes to go to put the result beyond doubt.

"For me really it's that killer instinct," said Trott, analysing where the team needed to improve. "When we have a team down and out we tend to relax, but that seems to be something that is perennial. Even back home in our league football when we have a team out for the count instead of us just finishing them off and putting them out of their misery we tend to relax."

Trott said the solution was theoretically simple - more games for the national side.

"I think we have to play more," he said. "I keep going back to the conversation I had with Bobby Robson (Newcastle United manager). It's an attitude thing and it comes from playing and playing and playing against teams like this and teams that are better than us."

A young national side had drawn 3-3 with an Iowan select team on Friday night and Trott said this had some bearing on his pre-match team talk.

"The Menace are doing quite well in their division and are playing in their championships next week. I asked the players to drop off, be compact and not allow them to play any diagonal balls," Trott said. "I didn't feel they had any creative midfield players who could out dribble us and I thought we could break them down that way. That worked really well. In fact our two wide players, Jared Peniston and Carlos Smith did an excellent job."

Trott said to start with things went perfectly and but for poor finishing the side should have been five goals to the good - Kentoine Jennings and Shannon Burgess both missing good chances.

While poor concentration was in the main to blame for the Menace grabbing two goals back, unforseen circumstances also contributed.

"We had a few guys get knocks and we had to make some changes which really broke our rhythm," said Trott. "John (Barry Nusum) took a knock on his ankle and I know his university pre-season starts shortly so I didn't take any chances there. Devarr (Boyles) just had a severe case of cramp, so I had to bring him off."

Jahmal Samuels and Dean Bailey were also withdrawn after picking up injuries. "It was very physical. They were a very good team," said Trott of the opposition. "Damon Ming, who is in the national team, was captain for the night for them. They also have on their roster two players who played in New Zealand and another guy who at one time was on the books of West Bromwich Albion."

Add to that the fact that the Menace have some of the US top collegiate players and Trott said the result was highly satisfactory.

"I told them congratulations afterwards," he said. "It was good to see that they applied themselves and what I had asked them to do tactically they did. You could see it happening on the field, it was just the mental lapses."

Trott said he believed he had good competition for places now in the national set-up.

"I don't like to single guys out but I thought Otis Minors was a pleasant surprise, Tauriano (Davis) and Jamaul also showed what they were capable of. I thought one or two of the younger guys showed they could make it at this level, but they are going to need more experience," Trott said.

Menace general manager, Ian McMahon, said he hoped to see a few of the Bermuda players again in the future.

"We hope to build a relationship with the Bermuda coach and players and hopefully get some players for next season," he said.

To round off their tour the side played an All-Star Select team, featuring players of Italian, Spanish and Croatian origin.

Bermuda ran out 9-2 winners with the final goal coming from a most unlikely source.

"I decided because we were enjoying it so much I'd give Timmy (Figuerido, goalkeeper) a chance to play a bit outfield in the last 10 minutes and with the very last kick of the game he scored," said Trott. "It wasn't just an ordinary goal either. He hit it from about 35 yards. He ran onto a through ball from Kentoine and hit it for all he was worth."