Although Shaun Goater provided 60 percent of the goals in Bermuda?s match against visiting Southend United on Friday night, there were another 15 or so footballers taking part in what was one of the national team?s more impressive performances in recent times.

?I felt guilty because it would have been great if Bermuda had got a result against a visiting pro side,? said hat-trick man Goater, who played for both sides, scoring once for Bermuda and two for his former club in a 3-2 victory for Southend.

?I thought the boys did well and it?s a shame they couldn?t hold on.?

That was a view shared by assistant national coach Paul Scope, standing in for a World Cup-bound Kyle Lightbourne, who very nearly came away with a draw in his first game in charge.

?I enjoyed that a lot and I was very happy with the lads,? said Scope, who himself has just returned home from Germany.

?Considering the lack of preparation and the fact we struggled a little bit to make up the side, it was a good performance. Obviously we lost a bit of shape and rhythm with all the substitutions, but we are pleased with the way it went.

?We are trying to run a developmental programme here and I was pleased with some of the younger lads and the way they are coming on. It was a better performance and we look to push on from here.?

Scope picked out Kwame Steede for praise, explaining that the irrepressible midfielder was given the full 90 minutes because he was having such an impact.

From Southend?s end, manager Steve Tilson ? who described Goater?s three goals as a ?fairytale finish? ? was also happy with the match.

He admitted that Bermuda were better than he thought although said that, if the two sides were to meet again in the middle of their domestic season, he would expect a more comfortable victory.

?It?s very early for us in the pre-season and the heat really got to the lads,? said Tilson, who admitted he was disappointed the crowd wasn?t bigger and said the lack of advertising for the fixture ? there was none ? probably kept numbers down.

?It was another fitness session for us and the lads worked hard. It?s always nice to get a win but the more important thing is that this helps with our pre-season and we are going to push on from here.

?Normally we wouldn?t be playing this early, not for maybe another couple of weeks or so, so the boys did well and I?m happy we came through this with no injuries or any problems.?

The Southend players had a day off on Saturday to watch England?s defeat to Portugal in the World Cup quarter-finals before resuming training again yesterday. They train again twice today at the National Sports Centre?s North Field before a golf day tomorrow directly before flying home.