Stoke City striker Kyle Lightbourne helped himself to four goals in the first half as Bermuda hammered the Bahamas in their Caribbean Cup opener last night at the National Sports Centre.

The 30-year-old professional actually had a hand in all six goals as Bermuda ran riot against the weakest of the four teams in this qualifying group.

The margin of victory will no doubt do a lot for the team's confidence, but technical director Clyde Best insists there is no chance of over-confidence creeping in ahead of what should be tougher outings against Cayman Islands on Friday night and Cuba on Sunday.

"They will not be lured into a false sense of security, I can guarantee you that,'' Best promised afterwards.

"We know it wasn't the hardest game, but you have to take it and it's nice to get a win. We would have been a lot more disappointed if we had lost, wouldn't we? So you take that and build on it.'' Lightbourne looked his goal-hungry best, doing the simple things well as the team rallied around his experience. He loosened up his deadly left foot with a sixth minute shot that curled wide of the near post, after getting on the end of a Meshach Wade pass.

Then after forcing two quick corners as they began to stamp their authority, Bermuda broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when Devarr Boyle's long range shot was parried by the diving Harvey Mullings in the Bahamas goal.

Lightbourne followed up and chipped a shot towards goal which was headed in by Wade.

It wasn't until half-time that the crowd realised that Lightbourne and not Wade was the scorer, as referee Kevin Terry of the United States confirmed.

Lightbourne was clearly enjoying himself as his first three goals came in the space of 16 minutes, with further strikes in the 28th and 34th minutes.

The second was a header from a ball into the box by Clifford Roberts which Lightbourne steered beautifully into the far corner.

The third goal came as a result of good approach work involving wingbacks Randy Spence and Andrew Rahman, with Spence driving in a low hard cross which was controlled by Lightbourne before hammering into the far bottom corner.

Lightbourne continued to feast on the generosity of the Bahamas defence, helping himself to a fourth goal in the 38th minute when he scored from a free kick seven yards outside the box.

The lanky striker then turned provider for the fifth in the 43rd minute as he found Wade with a pass in the box and the former Bermuda captain kept his composure to curl the ball around the 'keeper and into the far corner.

"Kyle hasn't hit the net for awhile so it's nice to see him get four, it'll be good for him,'' said Best, who, as a former professional striker knows a thing or two about scoring goals.

Now the team will set their sights on the Cayman Islands, knowing that a victory will set up a winner-take-all situation with the fancied Cubans on Sunday afternoon.

"It'll be a tougher game, but then again we'll just have to do the same thing -- come prepared and keep possession of the ball and not give it away,'' said Best.

"If we do that we'll score our chances. If we can get the wingbacks going forward all the time we'll be happy.'' Bermuda had the luxury of making double substitutions in the 56th minute as Keishon Smith and Otis Steede replaced Spence and Devarr Boyles. Four minutes later Dennis Robinson completed the scoring when he scored when he eluded a couple of challenges after a touch by Lightbourne inside the box and cracked home.

Anton Haven of the Bahamas was booked for knocking the hard-working Dwight Basden off his feet. By contrast, Dwayne Adams just about had his feet up all night as he was given a quiet time in the Bermuda goal.

He was called on to make his only save of the game when 16-year-old substitute Gavin Christie tested him with a long range shot which he tipped over the bar.

At the other end Lightbourne unleased a scorcher with his left foot which, to the keeper's relief, was off target.

Bermuda hit the woodwork twice in the last minute through Rahman and Robinson.

The one disappointment of the night was the small crowd of less than 1,000, considerably fewer than watched the recent defeat against Dc United.

Bermuda: D.Adams; S.Burgess, C.Roberts (K.Dill 75 mins), K.Jennings, R.Spece (O.Steede 56 mins), A.Rahman, M.Wade, D.Boyles (K.Smith 56 mins), D.Robinson, K.Lightbourne, D.Basden.

Bahamas: H.Mullings; R.Bocus, B.Nixon (G.Christie 67 mins), D.Thurson, J.Brennen, K.Davies (D.Neville 65 mins), A.Haven, L.Haven (S.Whyte 80 mins), T.McKenzie, N.Poteau, S.Bellott.

Referee: Kevin Terry (US); assistants George Vergara (US), Lyndon Raynor (Bermuda) Men of the match: Kyle Lightbourne (Bermuda), Anton Haven (Bahamas).

Photos by Ras Mykkal Four goal hero: Bermuda's Kyle Lightbourne is congratulated by team-mate Meshach Wade.