Bermuda Hogges 2

Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1

Until now Bermuda Hogges have been eternal underdogs with their rare successes producing delighted disbelief.

But on Saturday at the National Sports Centre, that role was reversed with Hogges making a seamless transition into favourites against USL-D2 new boys Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

Once again Hogges provided more confirmation of their growing maturity by following up their defeat of Wilmington Hammerheads a fortnight ago, with their first ever consecutive victory.

And while the Hogges hierarchy will be keen to temper early season expectations, they could have hardly hoped for a more encouraging start, especially in mind of their opening day horrow show at Charlotte Eagles.

For a side that accumulated just 11 points last season to have garnered six points already is hugely encouraging and has instilled genuine belief that they have potential to be a force at this level.

"We have played three games and we have six points," said coach Kyle Lightbourne. "Would we have taken it before the season started? Definitely.

"It's good to get back-to-back victories and we spoke about that before the game.

"Good teams go on a run and don't just get a win here and a win there. The most important thing for us is to make it difficult for teams to come to here (NSC)."

Goals in either half from Damon Ming and Keishen Bean helped Hogges to victory, before enduring a nervous finale when Riverhounds pulled one back through Jason Kutney in the 80th minute.

Brimming with confidence on the back of the Hammerheads win and the national team's 'Chelsea experience', Hogges took an early lead on 12 minutes through Ming who hit a low fizzing shot from just outside the area.

But just as the Islanders threatened to stamp their authority on proceedings, ferocious thunder and lightning forced the players from the field.

The break in action seemed to disrupt the Hogges' rhythm and when play resumed it was the visitors who enjoyed the superior passages of play for the remainder of the half.

The Hogges regained the territorial advantage in the second-half and lone striker Keishen Bean gave them a numerical cushion when he bundled home a right-wing cross from the waspish Ming on 75 minutes.

Still, Riverhounds continued to try and play their occasionally fluid football with Timmy Figuerido pulling off a point blank save from Travis MacKenzie, who had earlier seen his delicate lob land agonisingly wide.

Late on, Riverhounds opened their account when substitute Michael Parsons gave too much time to Leon Browne, whose angled shot was eventually turned in by Kutney.

Lightbourne said he saw plenty of room for improvement but was buoyed to see Hogges once again reveal their newfound attacking teeth and defensive backbone.

"I didn't think we played well today but we took our chance in the first-half," he said. "Midway through the second-half we started playing and Timmy (Figuerido) didn't have a lot to do.

"We had to make a forced substitution late on and you always worry at that stage about players coming on and not being mentally in tune with the game. That happened with Michael Parsons and they scored the goal. But we're happy with the result. I thought Kofi Dill was man-of-the-match – he was immense. You look at him and you think 'I could play against him'.

"But half of his game is in his head and he reads the game very well. Teams no longer look like they're going to overpower us."

Any notion that the Hogges' underdog role has been permanently reversed would be a dangerous one, and they will return to their customary status this weekend when they face much-fancied Crystal Palace Baltimore at the NSC.

"Against Crystal Palace we will really be able to judge how far we have come," added Lightbourne. "I think Crystal Palace will be the team to beat this year."

Bermuda Hogges

T.Figuerido, K.Richards, K.Dill,

O.Shakir, J.Ball (M.Parsons 85),

S.Astwood (capt) K.Steede

(J.Scott 86), S.DeGraff, D.Ming,

K.Bean (R.Bean 79), L.Dill

(J.Barry Nusum 60)

Goals

D.Ming 12, K.Bean 75

Man-of-the-match

K.Dill

Pittsburgh Riverhounds

P.Marfuggi, J.Hughes, N.Salsi,

E.Hayden, J.Kutney, R.Caugher

ty, J.Evans, J.Jerome (L.Browne

60), T.Khumalo (J.Liersemann

74), J.Zewe (C.Riley 64),

T.Mackenzie

Goals

J. Kutney 80

Yellow Cards

L.Browne (RiverhoundsR.Caugh

erty (Riverhounds)

For our Bermuda Hogges picture special, see page 33.