Despite failing to record a single victory against the visiting New York Hotas over the weekend, Bermuda?s women?s national team coach Vance Brown said he was ?generally pleased? by the team?s overall performance.

Brown?s charges were beaten 4-3 and 2-0 during the opening two matches, but managed to rebound yesterday morning in the form of a hard-fought 3-3 draw at BAA Field.

Providing an assessment of the team, Brown noted: ?They showed they can compete at the higher level. But obviously there are still a lot of things we need to work on like fitness and basic technique.

?And as far as playing is concerned I think they have demonstrated that they are capable of holding their own playing at the next level.

?A few of our players did confirm what we had expected all along while one or two made an even better effort than we anticipated.

?Overall I thought the competition was first class and they (Hotas) were certainly not a team that we could roll over.

?We had to pull our socks up and really get to work and I thought the players did just that.?

Brown and his assistants now have until June 9 to downsize the training squad, currently preparing for July?s Small Island Games in the Shetlands, to 20 players.

?We still have a few days to toy with a few things before any final decision is made,? added Brown.

?And I think the girls can now see where they need to be at. Our fitness level still needs to come up a bit. And although results did not go our way from a football point of view we were still able to gain a few positive things out of it.?

In Saturday?s opening fixture at Bernard Park, Brown?s girls went down 4-3.

Prolific goalscorer Tschana Wade netted a brace while Shuntae Todd grabbed the other.

Hotas prevailed via tallies from Bethany Licitra and Carly Amsel and a Colleen Moore brace.

The two teams then battled it out at the National Sports Centre hours later where the visiting team recorded a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Kylie Barboza and Gabriella Petralia.

The local women?s national team then closed out a hectic three-match series against Hotas yesterday on a more upbeat note, clinging onto a 3-3 draw after allowing a 3-1 lead to slip from their grasp.

Wade, Lindsay Ford and Catty Lockhurst were all on target for Bermuda while Kaitlin Grant, Petralia and Francesca Caracciolo converted for the Hotas who take on a local high school select today at BAA Field in the final match of their brief tour of the Island.

The visiting team were due to take on a local league select at BAA last night.

The Long Island Junior Soccer League Division One side have progressed through to next month?s final of the prestigious Walbaun Cup against Newfield Hurricanes and remain in a three-way tie for first place in the league standings with the Hurricanes and Elmont Riders.

?This has been a very tremendous experience for the girls,? commented Hotas coach Oliver Smith.

?The games have been very competitive. The Bermuda team was very physical, organised and fast. Our girls were initially taken back by their opponents? pace.

?The competition I think was very even and we were just fortunate to put away a few more of our chances.?