Bermuda, as expected, advanced to the second round of the World Cup qualifying tournament -- but they needed to come back from an early goal down to beat Antigua before a capacity crowd of 4,000 on Saturday night at the National Stadium.

Spurred on by a noisy crowd Bermuda produced their best World Cup performance to dominate their opponents in all departments from the first whistle to the last.

Top striker Shawn Goater, in a new midfield role, hit his 12th and 13th goals for the national team two minutes on either side of half-time to wipe out Antigua's 17th-minute opener by their captain Ivor Luke who was sent off in the second half for head-butting Elliott Jennings.

So many chances went begging for Bermuda that Goater admitted he was disappointed at not having scored his second hat-trick for his country at the senior level.

"I'm upset we didn't hit the target more,'' Goater said afterwards. "We knew Trinidad beat them 7-0 (Shell Caribbean Cup) and that they are one of the teams that are likely to be in the next round. Personally I was disappointed with not getting my hat-trick especially with the chances I got.'' Not content to sit on their 3-0 first-leg lead Bermuda nearly broke the deadlock after just 30 seconds when Kyle Lightbourne's far-post header to a cross from Meshach Wade was saved on the line by goalkeeper Keithley Green and kept out despite Goater's presence.

Confidence seeped through the team after that as front men Lightbourne and Elliott Jennings, two players anxious to make the most of their chances to establish a place in the team, looked threatening.

Lightbourne, showing the form that brought him 33 goals in the domestic season, had a good move down the left in the seventh minute and got in a right-foot cross that Paul Cann knocked back for Jennings who put his shot over the bar.

Another good build-up in the 15th minute, this time between Cann and Goater saw Cann's cross to the far post met by midfielder Albert Smith with a shot that was just off target.

Against the run of play, Antigua took the lead two minutes later after Luke pounced on the ball from a corner on the left and drove in a low shot from near the edge of the box, which 'keeper Dwayne Adams just failed to keep out after taking at least one deflection.

In response, Lightbourne hit a screaming left-foot volley just inches wide a few minutes later and then in the 21st minute, Elliott Jennings slipped the ball forward for Lightbourne who saw his first-time shot blocked by the advancing Green.

The chances kept coming for Bermuda, and there seemed only a matter of time before they equalised, as Goater put a left-foot shot wide from outside the box.

Bermuda were finally rewarded in the 41st minute when Goater was fouled by Vernel West after collecting a pass from Lightbourne.

The Rotherham pro took the penalty himself and his first kick, which he converted, was order retaken with Elliott Jennings booked for encroachment.

Goater kept his cool and aimed his second kick at the same corner in the 43rd minute, which the diving Green got his hand to the ball but could not keep out.

The second half was just 90 seconds old when Bermuda notched what proved to be the winner. Smith curled a free kick from the left side of the penalty box and Goater rose unchallenged to steer a neat header inside the 'keeper's right-hand post.

Cann wasted a good opportunity to make it 3-1 three minutes into the second half after yet another good Lightbourne cross. There was more drama in the 52nd minute when Antigua, for the second straight match in Bermuda, had a player sent off.

Luke fouled Elliott Jennings and the striker got up in frustration and started to go back at the Antigua captain who butted him in view of the Mexican referee Jose Garza y Ochoa who quickly whipped out the red card.

"I thought it was a terrible decision,'' said Antigua coach Shelly Clarke afterwards. "Both guys turned at each other and I don't think it was a deliberate head butt, just accidental.'' Things started to get a bit nasty as Antigua sub Joey Christopher caught Kentoine Jennings with a wild tackle as the midfielder was carried off on a stretcher in the 55th minute. He returned four minutes later.

Bermuda never eased up in their quest for goals as Elliott Jennings went wide in the 63rd minute before the 'keeper scrambled a Goater effort away for a corner in the 66th minute and then watched as the top scorer went close to completing his hat-trick with a header that went wide in the 81st minute after Wade set up the chance.

The Bermuda captain had a good scoring chance himself in the 86th minute when he got inside the box before blasting a shot high and wide from a good position.

Bermuda: D.Adams; M.Wade, N.Paynter, S.Smith, L.Stevens, S.Goater, P.Cann (D.Bascome, 85 mins), K.Jennings, A.Smith, K.Lightbourne (P.Clarke, 78 mins), E.Jennings.

Antigua: K.Green; S.Gomes, E.Ferrance, I.Luke, V.West, Q.Clarke, A.Isaac (J.Christopher, 46 mins), D.Greenaway, D.Thomas, G.Gonsalves (G.Richards, 81 mins), D.Williams.

Referee: Jose Garza y Ochoa (Mexico).

Linesmen: G. Alcala Pineda, H. Sierra Benavides (both Mexico).

Men of the match: Shawn Goater (Bermuda); Keithley Green (Antigua).

Jamaica pulled off a big shocker yesterday when they beat Trinidad 2-1 in Port-of-Spain. The return leg is August 16 in Jamaica.

MUCH APPRECIATED -- The Bermuda players salute their fans during a lap of honour after saturday night's win.

ENCROACHMENT -- Shawn Goater thought he had equalised from the penalty spot in the first half, but Elliott Jennins, second right, is pictured jus tinside the `D' and the goal was disallowed. Goater kept his cool and converted the retaken kick.