Shaun Goater has high expectations for forward Kane Crichlow, who hit the ground running on his senior international debut for Bermuda in the opening World Cup qualifying matches in Florida.

The 20-year-old Watford forward underlined his potential after netting three goals in his first two outings in a Bermuda shirt.

Crichlow opened his account at the first attempt when he pounced on some loose goalkeeping to convert Bermuda’s consolation in a 5-1 defeat by Canada at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando last Thursday.

He then improved upon that showing five days later by scoring a brace in Bermuda’s 5-0 demolition of Aruba at the IMG Academy, the second of which showed off some neat footwork in close quarters, punctuated by a low, left-footed drive that beat the goalkeeper at his near post.

“Anyone who scores three goals in their first two games is absolutely brilliant,” Goater, the former Manchester City and Bermuda striker, told The Royal Gazette. “This is excellent and a great eye for goal clearly.

“This shows that the stuff he’s learning in England, that professional understanding and knowledge of the game, he is bringing it along with his natural talent. He will get even more deadly as he perfects his craft.

“He will certainly improve Bermuda the more he plays and showcases his qualities, so the future is certainly bright with him and a lot of youngsters that are bringing the professional element to the game.”

Goater, who like Crichlow made his senior debut for Bermuda against Canada, believes that the present crop of youngsters that coach Kyle Lightbourne has at his disposal can carry the national team to unprecedented heights.

“What Bermuda can go on and achieve with these youngsters can be quite remarkable,” he said. “Within themselves they can really set some standards that can absolutely dwarf the standards that were set in the past. And what I mean by that is because Bermuda also play a certain number of games each year.

“I scored 32 goals in 36 games in my time, but I think the players will play way over that number of games and can go on to double that.

“Again these guys are young and having a good period with the national team of ten to 12 years I think you will get players that will be hitting sort of 50 goals — in and around that margin.”