Bermuda.....(0) 0

Canada....... (8) 11

If Bermuda's women were in any doubt about the size of the task they face in the Women's Pan American Cup then last night's thrashing at the hands of Canada will have quickly dispelled them.

Playing their first international in two years against a side ranked 45 places above them was never going to be an easy task, and Bermuda spent much of the exhibition game chasing shadows.

Canada were quicker, more skilled, more focused, and generally better than their hosts. It took them just four minutes to score their first goal, and they scored at a rate of one goal every four-and-a-half minutes thereafter until the break.

Katie Rushton, Shannon Elmitt and Stephanie Nesbitt all scored, benefitting from Bermuda's tendency to back off too much, and allow the visiting team time and space to play as they wished. Three of the first five goals came from penalty corners, and the rest came from sloppy turnovers and a lack of concentration on Bermuda's part.

"The girls have figured out that it (the international game) is about ten paces higher than our local leagues," said Bermuda coach Gareth Tavares. "It's a good, good game to play against someone like Canada, who are ranked 20th in the world, because they are so much quicker and faster on the ball.

"The first half was very disappointing, to be eight-nil down at the break, there wasn't much to say to the girls.

"We let ourselves down with our basics, and just getting the ball going. But that's to be expected, for some of the girls it is their first senior tournament and they were intimidated."

For a side that has little experience playing international hockey, Bermuda were left reeling by the sheer pace and skill of their opponents.

And while Tavares admitted his side had been a little naive, he was happy to get the game out of the way. His side face Canada again on the opening day of the tournament that begins on Saturday.

"You can be told until your blue in the face what is going to happen, but when you really get out there and feel it, it's totally different," Tavares said.

"I think practice is going to help us, it could have been worse, it could have been our first game in the tournament.

"They (the team) needed to play through that initial shock, and they came back in the second half and played better. We've still got a lot to talk about and go through, but I hope against Jamaica, which will be a more physical game, that we will also be a bit wiser."

Bermuda's performance improved in the second half, largely thanks to the fine efforts of part-time goalkeeper Jo Bielby, who replaced the injured Fiona Doe at half time.

And also because Canada took their foot of the gas somewhat, however Bermuda also tightened up across the pitch, and there were enough positives to suggest that tomorrow's game against Jamaica will be a much closer affair.

"We came into our own in the second half," said Tavares.

"We defended better, Jo made some great saves, we just needed that first half to get the shock out of our system and step up a gear."

n Favourites Argentina and the USA have had their plans for the tournament disrupted by bad weather. The two teams had been due to land in Bermuda last night, but severe snow storms in New York saw their flights grounded.

Bermuda: R Bardgett, J Bielby, C Da Costa, F Doe, H Ellison, M Ford, E Frith, K Graham, L Hartley, J Hollis, K Masters, J McClure, Z Phillip, S Samuels, M Troake, K White.

Canada: C O'Hara, A Stone, N Wise, S Elmitt, M Hunt-Oliver, S Macauly, S Jameson, K Rushton, T Michaluk, T Culley, S Nesbitt, K Begley-Baker, A Raye, D Roemer, T Flexman, J Walkey, A Kozniuk, A Liu.