Bermuda 2 Trinidad & Tobago 2

Rohaan Simons' name echoed around National Sports Centre last night after the second-half substitute's glancing header earned Bermuda a morale-boosting draw against the highly ranked Trinidadians.

Simons, in heavy traffic with his back to goal, pivoted as he outjumped his marker to glance the ball past a flat-footed Kevin Graham in the Trinidad goal to send the local following into a frenzy.

The wiry striker scored seconds after Cornell Glen had put the visitors 2-1 ahead with just 15 minutes remaining in the match.

Returning Carlos Smith had earlier opened the visitors' defence to fire Bermuda ahead after 36 minutes, the veteran forward latching onto a piercing through pass and steering the ball past the advancing Graham.

However, Trinidad hit back shortly after the restart, Conrad Smith scoring with a soft header which nestled in at the back post.

Again, Bermuda displayed a brand of football belying their lowly world ranking, often pinning their opponents in their own half, creating good scoring opportunities and spreading the Trinidad defence like a hot knife through butter.

But the visitors also enjoyed their fair share of chances, particularly on the fast break down either flank which resulted in a few anxious moments in the Bermuda defence.

However, in ‘keeper Troy Hall, and a Bermuda defence well marshalled by Randy Swan, Stanton Lewis and Meshach Wade, the Trinidad attack repeatedly found stubborn resistance while the second-half sending off of Trinidad's Travis Mulraine certainly didn't aid the visitors' cause.

But given both team's inability to reproduce Tuesday night's electrifying form in last night's steady rain and slippery pitch conditions, in the end a draw was probably a fair result - though Trinidad might beg to differ.

“It was a very difficult match, much different from Tuesday night as a result of the poor conditions. We couldn't play in the way that we played on Tuesday and so tonight was more about a little bit of fight and determination,” explained an emotional national coach Kenny Thompson afterwards.

“I am very proud of our team,” he added, pausing to keep his emotions in check. “They've shown that they have it in them - the motivation, ambition, the determination and fight to be successful. And it's important to recognise we've just drawn with a country ranked number 70 in the world. They are one hundred and ten places above us. So we are rapidly progressing in a short period of time.”

Thompson said last night's result might have provided the desired confidence booster ahead of the start of the World Cup qualifying series against Montserrat later this month.

“To draw against opponents like Trinidad and to have been in a position to have won, not only this match but the one on Tuesday, certainly does a lot for us going into the matches against Montserrat,” he added.

Unlike Tuesday night, Trinidad came at their hosts with more aggression, Derek King receiving an early booking for obstructing Bermuda striker John (Barry) Nusum. Hall was then called into action, racing off his goal-line to block back-to-back efforts with his body before Anton Pierre headed over from six yards.

Having weathered the storm, Bermuda responded at the opposite end with Nusum testing Graham from long range and an overlapping Kevin Richards wiggling his way through a maze of players before watching as his low drive was blocked.

However, the home team suffered an early setback when Richards was injured challenging for a suicide ball in midfield. The Colorado Rapids pro desperately tried in vain to shake off the effects, but all to no avail and was subsequently replaced.

Hall was again summoned off his line to thwart Smith as he raced towards goal while Lewis got just enough boot to cut out a dangerous through ball during another Trinidad fast break upfield before Angus Eve shot over from inside the six-yard box.

But shortly after Graham had vacated his line to clear the ball away from the onrushing Nusum, Smith caught the Trinidad defence napping at the back and capitalised on a short pass through the middle to give Bermuda the lead at the half.

However, their joy was short-lived as Trinidad equalised through Smith two minutes into the second-half.

Soon after Mulraine was given his marching orders by referee Stuart Crockwell for a blatant foul on Hill in midfield. But even with ten men, Trinidad managed to go ahead with another soft goal from Glen, whose shot was partially blocked by Hall.

Simons, however, had the final say, the striker making the most of his chance to secure an inspirational draw for the home team, who will now take on Montserrat in their opening World Cup qualifier on February 29 at the National Sports Centre.

Bermuda: T.Hall, K.Richards (J.Warren, 29 mins), R.Swan, M.Wade, S.Lewis, O.Steede, C.Hill, K.Smith (J.Peniston, 59 mins), D.Coddington (D.Ming, 56 mins), C.Smith, J.Nusum (R.Simons, 50 mins).

Trinidad: K.Graham, D.King, A.Elcock, A.Pierre, C.Smith (C.Atiba, 69 mins), C.Grey, S.Mason, A.Eve, T.Mulraine, A.Whitley, C.Glen.

Booked: K.Smith, O.Steede (Bermuda); D.King (Trinidad)

Sent off: T.Mulraine (Trinidad)

Men of the match: T.Hall (Bermuda); C.Glen (Trinidad).

Referee: Stuart Crockwell