It didn?t take long for Taurean Manders to score his very first goal with MetroStars in the Metro Under 19 Boys Super Y League in the US

In fact, it only took the Bermuda international midfielder 140 minutes to open his goal -scoring account.

Manders converted a 70th minute penalty during Stars? 3-0 shutout win over Brooklyn Knights in Brooklyn last Saturday ? only two days after setting up his new team?s last gasp equaliser against Parsippany coming on the pitch as a first half substitute.

The Bermudian, currently on a one-month deal with the Super Y League US outfit, was again in Stars? starting 11 that took on current leaders Ironbound Sport Club yesterday.

Stars are currently unbeaten and remain third in the Super Y League standings, two points adrift of the leaders.

?Nobody else stepped up to take the penalty and so I decided to take it,? Manders told , speaking from New York. ?Everyone were just looking around at each other and so I decided to step up.?

Manders has quickly adjusted to his new ?professional? surroundings at MetroStars where he hopes to make the most out of his brief stay.

The former North Village youth player recently graduated from IMG Soccer Academy in Florida and is due to begin further studies at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York in early fall.

Manders made his senior national team debut last year against Barbados at the National Sports Centre before going onto the captain the Island?s Under 20 World Cup squad in Jamaica.

?It?s a a very professional atmosphere here and the training is certainly short and sharp,? he continued. ?It is very intense. But I have been playing at this level for the past two years.?

Manders was also a part of IMG?s victorious Under 19 squad that cinched their respective division earlier this spring during the Dallas Cup.

?Nothing here is really new to me. I am just playing with a new team,? he added. ?The level of competition over here in the US is obviously very competitive and I think our team is only going to get better as we progress.

?Right now we are playing against teams for the first time as still feeling them out. And compared to what it was like when I was playing football at the academy (IMG), I think the level of play is much higher here at MetroStars. Here we train more and the teams are more gelled together.?

The Super Y League is a professionalised system that is the first step for developing youth footballers in the US.

As the largest organisation of football leagues in North America, the Super Y League is also dedicated to promoting the sport at the grassroots level in every community across the US.

Having now hit the target, Manders hopes to progress to even bigger and better things with his new team-mates.

?That goal has certainly boosted my confidence,? he quickly pointed out. ?After the game I was talking a lot to my team-mates and my coach said ?hey . . . you are finally coming out of your shell?. So it did lift my confidence.?