Veteran goalkeeper spared Bermuda's blushes as they overcame a determined Cayman Islands side last night.

Timmy Figuerido made a string of outstanding saves to keep his team in the game.

In the end, goals from Sammy DeGraff, and skipper Kwame Steede, gave the visiting side a comfortable win, but it could all have been so different.

Figuerido was in the thick of the action as home team pressed forward in a frantic opening.

And only the excellence of the Somerset Trojans goalkeeper, and the profligacy of the opposition strikers, spared Bermuda from being on the wrong end of a dramatic upset.

"If it handn't of been for Timmy we could have been three down early on," said Keith Tucker, the Bermuda team coach.

"He made some great saves for us, and we got off the hook. Timmy was superb for us, but once we settled down we really made them work.

"Cayman came at us straight away and we had to withstand a lot of pressure and be strong, but there is no doubt we were the better team, and deserved the victory.

"Now we can start looking ahead towards the Trinidad and Tabgo match."

Tucker was also full of praise for DeGraff, who put in a fine display.

"Sammy is a great guy," said Tucker. "He'll always scrap for you, and run and run.

"He scored a couple of great goals for us, and he'll work for you for the entire 90 minutes ¿ that's why we love him."

In the end it was a case of mission accomplished for Bermuda's national team who conquered the Cayman Islands to keep their 2010 World Cup journey alive.

Bermuda rode their luck during some nervous, frantic, early exchanges as Cayman squandering a trio of guilt edge goalscoring chances.

But a first-half brace from Sammy DeGraff and a second-half strike by Kwame Steede did the damage with the 'Gomeby Warriors' eventually finding their groove.

Credit to Cayman who forced Bermuda into some desperate defending at times and got their just rewards with a second-half penalty from Marshall Forbes.

Bermuda's objective on the picturesque overseas British territory had been crystal clear: Win at all costs.

Quite simply defeat was not an option following their flat performance in the first leg, with yesterday's renewal of hostilities resembling a drink at last chance saloon.

And while this was no champagne performance the visiting side had far too much spark on show for a battling Cayman.

Yet in was Bermuda who resembled the 'pub team' during the opening quarter of an hour, and had it not been for the heroics of veteran keeper Timmy Figuerido then Bermuda's World Cup journey would have surely come to abrupt end.

The first culprit to waste a goalscoring opportunity was Alfredo Challenger, whose sluggish first touch allowed Figureido to race off his line to clear the –danger.

Kevin Richards then made an uncharacteristic mistake losing possession outside the box to Calvin Jefford, whose powerful drive was superbly tipped behind by the Bermuda goalkeeper.

Roared on by a partisan crowd, Cayman were surprisingly dominating and Carson Fagan then inexplicably let Bernuda off the hook again.

Beating the offside trap, Fagan was presented with a clear run on goal but was denied by Figuerido who dived at the striker's feet to smoother the ball.

A jittery Bermuda had hardly launched an attack but were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position after keeper Tuda Murphy clattered John Barry Nusum outside the box.

Murphy proceeded to make a real hash of Kwame Steede's powerful set-piece allowing Sammy DeGraff to pounce and poke home from close range on 18-minutes.

DeGraff then doubled Bermuda's advantage moments later, bravely connecting with Darius Cox's left-wing cross with a glancing header.

The midfield schemer though required treatment for his efforts after colliding heavily with the on-rushing Murphy.

The second-period saw Bermuda continue to pose a threat and they increased their lead when skipper Steede chested in Tyrell Burgess' right-wing cross.

But Cayman, roared on by a fiercely partisan crowd, pulled one back with a penalty from Marshall Forbes after Kevin Richards was adjudged to have pulled down Jefford.

Cayman continued to threaten throughout the second half, but Bermuda held on for a satisfying win.

The result will certainly be meet with a collective sigh of relief from inside Bermuda Football Association's corridors of power this morning.

The debris left over from a defeat would have a messy operation with endless recriminations from an expectant public.

Conversely, one swallow does not make a summer and this win should not be used to sugarcoat over the Island's footballing cracks.

But the positive vibe from the win will create a feel-good factor within the supporters, and press, providing the team with breathing space and a platform to build some momentum ahead of their tangle with Trinidad and Tobago.

It also allows Bermudian football to indulge itself in the national team programme's positives; such as the soon-to-be unveiled training headquarters, the return of coach Kenny Thompson and the appointment of Derek Broadley, observing from the stands yesterday, as the new technical director.

Broadley's first assignment in his new role was to scout Jamaica's –2-2 draw with Trinidad earlier this week. Thankfully the trip to Kingston was not in vain.

Cayman Islands: T.Murphy, J.Ebanks, M.Waud, T.Elliott J.Fisher, R.Grant, C.Jefford, R.Carter, A.Challenger, O.Taylor, C.Fagan. Subs: M.Forbes, C.Douglas, E.Brown, C.Coleman, N.Forbes, D.Brandon, L.Elliott

Bermuda: T.Figuerido, D.Cox, M.Waldron, K.Richards O.Shakir, K.Bean, K.Steede, D.DeGraff, T.Burgess, K.Smith, J. Barry Nusum. Subs: N.Burgess, S.Astwood, D.Coddington, M.Parsons, S.Darrell, R.Thompson-Lambe, D.Ming.

Man of the match: T Figuerido

Referee: Mr J Marrufo