Kyle Lightbourne?s Digicel Cup preparations suffered another blow yesterday with news that this month?s Gold Cup qualifying tournament in the US Virgin Islands had been pushed back to September 27.

The senior national football squad were originally scheduled to depart for the Caribbean on Friday, September 22.

Already faced with a severe lack of match practice, Lightbourne was left yesterday to lament yet another setback to his cup plans.

?This is very disappointing for us because we have already gone through a lot of trouble trying to get our overseas players excused to play for the national squad,? Lightbourne told last night.

?And now we will have to go through the entire process all over again.?

More than half of the national squad were due to travel from overseas for the tournament, among them the likes of Khano Smith, Damon Ming, Kevin Richards, Taurean Manders, Tyrell Burgess, Nigel Burgess and John Barry Nusum.

Bermuda will be taking on the hosts, the British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic, in the first steps on the long road to the Gold Cup and are favourites to battle their way through the group.

Bermuda Football Association (BFA) are expected to release a press statement concerning the matter sometime today, according to general secretary David Sabir.

Meanwhile, Lightbourne?s future as national football coach will be one of the topics for discussion tonight during the BFA?s technical committee meeting.

The former Coventry City striker had a one-year deal extended until the end of this month?s Digicel Cup competition.

Lightbourne succeeded Kenny Thompson as national coach in September, 2004.