Despite Bermuda?s narrow defeat last night at the hands of the Manchester City Youth Academy, national coach Kenny Thompson stubbornly refused to be downcast.

?I was very encouraged by the performance overall,? he insisted.

?I tried to stress to the public before the game that they should not be fooled in any way by the relative youth of our opponents. These guys were a formidable force ? professional and very talented ? but we showed during extended periods that we were capable of matching them.?

Thompson did concede, however, that he was disappointed with Bermuda?s ?somewhat sloppy? performance in the first 15 minutes of the match.

He argued also that his players should have adapted more swiftly to City?s sustained attacking onslaught in the aftermath of Shaun Goater?s equaliser.

?I was a little disappointed with our approach in the match?s opening exchanges,? he said.

?We were totally asleep and by allowing them to score so early on we were chasing the game from the outset. What we must also become very quickly accustomed to is that top sides will always move up a gear after they have conceded a goal and we simply were not prepared for that when it happened.?

?We have to learn also,? Thompson continued, ?particularly when we are away from home like we will be in El Salvador, that when you get into a position like one-all, it might be time to really close up shop and make it difficult for your opponents going forward. But that is the reason we are playing matches like this, against opponents like this: to try and learn those lessons as quickly as possible ahead of the crucial games.?

He also had nothing but praise for the work ethic of his side, both during the game and in what he termed ?an extremely thorough? preparation.

?The work ethic at training has been fantastic,? he enthused.

?I have absolutely no complaints there and it has been a pleasure to work with all of them. I can honestly say the players are doing more than their bit to make the squad a successful one.?

Alluding to the Bermuda Football Association?s recent, much-publicised run in with Sports Minister Dale Butler and the trustees of the National Stadium, Thompson called on all involved to lay the issue to one side whilst Bermuda?s World Cup campaign is still alive.

?I know we have had a very public disagreement over use of the stadium for the youth squad?s, but I call on Bermuda to now concentrate on the most important matter at hand and to get behind the team going into an obviously pivotal game against El Salvador.?

Manchester City youth coach Alex Gibson meanwhile was clearly pleased with the win, as well as with his young charges successfully overcoming the ?immense? physical challenges posed by humidity many in the squad had never before encountered.

?It has been a great trip and the players and the staff are obviously ecstatic at the win,? he said.

?We had a few weeks in England where we have not been able to prepare because of work going on back at the club and playing in the heat has been incredibly hard for us. Given these circumstances, I thought we played reasonably well.?

Gibson was also quick to pay tribute to Shaun Goater, who impressed on the night with a goal and as a constant attacking threat.

?The lads have got the greatest of respect for Shaun Goater, as well everybody at Manchester City ? but obviously we are sorry that he scored.?