Damon Ming?s professional football debut in the UK proved to be a bitter-sweet experience as Nationwide Conference leaders Barnet were bundled out of the Hertfordshire Senior Cup following a 4-2 penalty shoot-out loss against Tring Athletic on Wednesday night at Grass Roots Stadium.

While Ming?s lifelong dream of playing in the pro ranks finally came to fruition as the Bermudian received a first full dose of English football, a plethora of missed opportunities ultimately came back to haunt the current Nationwide leaders who failed to turn superiority into goals.

The diminutive frontman played the entire 120 minutes of the first round cup tie first which saw the clubs deadlocked at one apiece at the end of extra-time after England Under-19 marksman Warren McBean and Tring?s Steve Johnson had exchanged first-half goals.

Ming, however, did manage to bring Bees? fans, who braved appalling weather conditions, to their feet in the closing seconds of regulation time with a ?cracking? shot on goal.

?He did play well but it was a disappointing evening for everybody,? Barnet press officer Dennis Signy told yesterday.

?Damon was alright and there was nothing wrong with his performance, though overall no one really shone on the Barnet side,? Signy continued. ?He had one good shot right in the dying seconds of the game but the goalie saved it after Barnet had bottled themselves up in the final minutes of extra-time and had a couple of decent shots on goal.?

Ming and the rest of his team-mates had the day off yesterday but are due to resume training today.

Barnet currently hold a six-point lead over Carlisle United in the Nationwide standings and are due to face Hereford United at Underhill Stadium on November 6.

The Bees thumped York City 4-0 in their last league encounter last weekend.

Ming led local club Somerset Trojans in scoring last season and netted a memorable hat-trick on his World Cup debut for Bermuda against Montserrat at the National Sports Centre earlier this year.

A graduate of High Point University, the player has also undergone football trials with the Atlanta Silverbacks in the USA and at English Division Two side Oxford United in the past and has now become only the third Trojans player to attain professional status.

Former West Ham United star striker Clyde Best and New York Cosmos frontman Randy Horton preceded Ming, who now hopes to quickly establish himself at his new surroundings in the UK.

?This is something Damon has always wanted to do and he?s now gone ahead and done it,? said Best yesterday. ?I?m very glad for him and I?ve always admired Damon because he has something that no coach can coach . . . and that?s pace. With the pace that he has he?s always going to be a threat and I wish him all the best.?

Hamilton Parish defeated X Roads 2-1 on Tuesday night in a FA Cup first round replay. The two First Division sides drew 3-3 in the first encounter at Lord?s last Sunday which did not go into extra-time after linesmen dashed off to officiate at another game.