A courageous Bermuda bowed out of the World Cup in controversial fashion last night as a disputed Stern John header gave the Soca Warriors a hard-fought 2-0 win at the National Sports Centre (NSC) where the high hopes of a nation united by football turned into despair.

John's game-winner, from a free kick, is certain to be the focal point of debate for some time to come as it was converted while Bermuda were in the midst of making a substitution.

Midfielder Jemeiko Jennings was in the process of replacing Kwame Steede when Carlos Edwards' cross found the head of Southampton striker John, who nodded past Timmy Figureido while Bermuda players stood frozen in total astonishment.

The goal, that ultimately proved to be the real turning point of the two-leg series, stunned a nation and left Bermuda coach Kenny Thompson and his supporting cast seething to say the least.

Thompson immediately protested John's dagger all to no avail as Guatemalan referee Carlos Batres, who never consulted his linesmen and fourth official following the farce, allowed the goal to stand.

Fittingly, Batres' blunder received just what it deserved as he was booed off the pitch by a partisan crowd, with one unruly fan going as far as to hurl an object in the official's path as he was escorted under a heavy blanket of security to the dressing room.

At times Batres' officiating bordered on the outrageous as he allowed Trinidad skipper Aurtis Whitley to remain on the pitch after picking up a second yellow card which should have resulted in an early shower ¿ a mistake that could even lead to Bermuda appealing the final outcome.

Whitley received a second booking for a shoving match with Bermuda's Damon Ming and should have been shown the red card.

It was the ref's errors which ruined an otherwise highly charged game which saw the hosts come to within 25 minutes of a glorious achievement.

"The ref wasn't paying attention to the official who allowed the play to continue on during the substitution," argued Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs Dale Butler afterwards. "I was totally shocked he allowed the goal to stand; he didn't even check with the fourth official.

"They just turned a blind eye, but that's World Cup football."

Butler was just one of many who left the NSC last night with a bitter taste in their mouths after watching the Gombey Warriors put on a brave performance under constant pressure.

Trinidad signalled their intent from the off when they opted for an attacking 3-5-2 formation with twin strikers Jerrol Forbes and Daryl Roberts a constant threat up top and the fleet-footed Edwards causing all sorts of concerns with his darting runs from deep.

It was only through the superlative efforts of custodian Timmy Figureido that Bermuda ¿ whose chances were few and far between ¿ remained in contention until John put the match away after the break.

Bermuda threatened first with forwards Kwame Steede and Damon Ming firing over the bar when given space down the middle. But it was the visitors who drew first blood somewhat against the run of play when Roberts buried Keon Daniel's pass in the box on the turn in the tenth minute after Edwards' diagonal ball split the Bermuda defence.

The goal knocked the wind out of Bermuda's sail and more importantly took the sell-out crowd out of the match as a ghastly silence descended upon the ground.

Having fallen behind, Bermuda's tactics soon turned to damage control with Thompson's men intent to throw numbers behind the ball to try and prevent the Trinidadians from running away with the match.

The trio of Edwards, Forbes and Roberts were a constant thorn in the hosts' side with their penetrative runs and precision passing often leaving Bermuda's defence playing catch up.

Yet in Figureido, the heavily fancied Soca Warriors ran into a brick wall as the veteran keeper rushed off his line on more than one occasion to tidy up some loose defending and keep the hosts in contention.

But he nearly paid the price just before the half when blown on the edge of the box for time-wasting. However, Figureido was given a reprieve as the opposition hurried the free kick high and wide.

Though trailing at the break, the Gombey Warriors received a standing ovation from the 5,000-plus on hand with Premier Ewart Brown leading the kudos from the grandstand.

Bermuda appeared more composed on the ball and settled at the back after the break in defence and whenever the opportunity presented itself tried to unlock Trinidad's final barrier on the quick break upfield.

But at the other end John was in menacing form and was an inspiration to his team-mates who seemed to feed off his energy.

Figureido was called into the thick of the action again when he dived to his right to turn a fiercely struck free kick around the post before denying the probing Edwards yet again.

The keeper was then spared the blushes by his defence who positioned themselves in the right spot to clear the lines as the Triny invasion threw everything they could at Bermuda's goal.

Both teams made a few tactical changes as the game entered the latter stages and just when it seemed as though the hosts might hang on for an historical win, Batres' moment of madness ultimately decided Bermuda's World Cup fate and left a nation to mourn.