Most aspiring footballers dream of one day winning a domestic cup final and showing off a coveted trophy with their team-mates.

And then there are those such as female footballer Maria Smith-Tannock who dare to dream even bigger.

Exactly one-week ago the 38 year-old accountant realised a lifelong dream, scoring in spectacular fashion to catapult her club PHC to back-to-back Konica Cup triumphs at Somerset Cricket Club.

It was a strike that spurred PHC to a 1-0 win over long-time nemesis Lady Cougars ( formerly Rude Girls) and one that might have also defined the player's career which began at the tender age of eight playing among the junior ranks at North Village Community Club.

"It was a dream come true" exclaimed the football lover, who has also represented former clubs Prospect and BAA Telecom in the past.

"Scoring goals used to be easier for me when I was younger ? and I have played in a lot of games. But to score the winning goal against girls almost three-times my junior was definitely a dream come true for me. It also made them realise that it really doesn't matter how old you are as long as you continue to apply some of the things you have learned along the way."

Tannock's journey in local football began at Village where she played at the mini-minor level before going on to represent Bermuda in track and field in the Carifta Games and enrolling in college on a football scholarship.

The PHC vice-captain is a die-hard Arsenal and Brazil fan and lists legendary Brazilian striker Pele as her favourite player.

"There were a lot of boys and very few girls in my neighbourhood when I was growing up in Pembroke," she fondly recalled.

"As you know most boys play football and because I was also very good at track and field, football helped me with my speed. That is what really influenced me to play football.

"And football has been a very good vehicle to get me to where I am today because through the sport I was able to attend college (Messiah College) on a playing scholarship."

Such is Tannock's tremendous love-affair with football, the successful accountant juggles coaching PHC's women's youth team, a rigorous training regiment and suiting up to play on weekends along with tending to day-to-day needs of daughter JaShonae' and other family matters around the house.

"If you can organise yourself then everything can run smoothly," she explained. "But I also have a very good support system which includes my mother and father and also my husband."

Having now played an integral role in PHC's recent cup winning success, Tannock hopes her team mates can maintain their winning ways and go on to even greater success.

"It gives me great pleasure to know that I am a part of a team that is moving up as far as a changing of the guard is concerned," said Tannock, alluding to Zebras' recent dominance over their more illustrious opponents in the green and gold.

"Being in football so long I understand that it is important for a team to possess young, middle and senior players in order to be successful because everyone has a role to play.

"We have a very diverse team and without that I am almost certain we would not be able to achieve some of the things we have been able to achieve in recent times."

But winning championships is one thing . . . defending them is another, the PHC midfielder noted.

"We don't want to be a team that wins once and then you don't hear about us anymore," said Tannock. "It is the teams that continue to win and defend their cups that are ultimately recognised.

"And so it is now our goal to defend our league title and try to win back the FA Cup that we lost a couple of years ago."