A day after making a triumphant return to top flight football as a player, PHC Zebras? 38-year-old player/coach Kyle Lightbourne ruled out making a similar return on the international stage.

Lightbourne jumped off the bench to nod home Zebras? winner in their opening Martonmere Cup Group ?A? clash with North Village on Tuesday night at BAA Field.

It was the former English pro striker?s first appearance in a Premier Division match since 1992.

However, before the euphoria of Zebras? first Martonmere Cup win in three years had subsided, Lightbourne ruled out any possibility of taking his player/coach juggling act to the national level.

?That?s as far as it goes because we have plenty of players to fill that role at the national level,? he insisted. ?And with a full quota of players there?s absolutely no need for me to put myself on the substitute?s bench. I would rather sit out.?

After watching his Zebras control two thirds of their loss to division newcomers Paget in Sunday?s season-opener, injuries and pride forced Lightbourne to suit up for Tuesday?s cup clash with triple crown giants Village.

?I just wanted us to get some sort of morale booster after Sunday . . . controlling a game and not winning,? he added. ?It was just important for the team to try and build some sort of momentum. And for me last night?s result was what was needed more than anything else.

?I don?t like the fact people think playing against PHC would be an easy game. When I left Bermuda (to pursue a pro career in the UK) people knew they were in for a tough game when they came up against PHC.

?And given the club?s steep history I would like to help reinforce that. We need to fight our back to the top end of the table. So hopefully last night?s result and performance will put us in good stead for the rest of the season.?

Lightbourne said he had no regrets about not coming on as a sub during Zebras? shock 3-2 league loss to Paget at White Hill Field on Sunday.

?I just wished I had a couple more players at my disposal on Sunday,? he said. ?My mind wasn?t on playing, though I thought about it.?

Lightbourne made the decision to transfer from the Commercial to the Premier ranks when Zebras lost the services of several key members over the off-season.

?Once I saw that Antwan (Russell), Tokia (Russell) and Stanton (Lewis) wanted to leave, I knew I had to do something about it because we didn?t have any other players to replace them.?

And what better way to celebrate a return to top flight football than to score the winner in spectacular fashion.

?I just wanted us to get a victory,? insisted the national team coach.

Like many in the Warwick community, Lightbourne also believes his young team has the makings of going on to bigger and better things ? especially with the likes of veteran striker Sammy Swan expected to rejoin the team in the near future along with crafty playmaker Kenny Mills.

Zebras also have several promising players abroad studying, among them strikers Cecoy Robinson, Vernon Perinchief and Jahnai Raynor and defenders Robert Richardson and Johnny Ball.

?We have some experienced players and hopefully they will return to help the team,? Lightbourne said. ?Sammy (Swan) should be back this week while Kenny (Mills) is recovering from a slight knock, but should also be back soon.?