Bermuda’s Island Games football teams received some much needed game time when they faced English opponents on Wednesday.

The men’s under-23 football team recorded a morale boosting 2-1 victory over Wimborne Town, an English non-league side, while the senior women’s side impressed despite losing 4-3 to Bournemouth.

Jai Bean opened the scoring for the men’s side with a well-worked goal to lead 1-0 at half-time and Bermuda went 2-0 up midway through the second half when Tokia Russell hit the target. Wimborne pulled one back with ten minutes to play but Bermuda held on for victory.

Coach John Nusum was pleased with the preparation in advance of the Island Games in which they face Froya, Orkney and Greenland with the first match scheduled to take place on Sunday.

“It was a good game and the men acquitted themselves well,’’ Nusum said.

“We got physical challenges, which we were looking for, and we were able to be just as strong and come out on the other side of challenges with the right balance and the ball for the majority of the match.

“It was good to get a run out and we should hit different phases of who we want to become. We were able to start on the front foot and push the pace early and then once the game settled a bit, we were able to put our foot on the ball and possess the ball while looking for opportunities to penetrate.

“The two goals were both of great quality and a few more chances that we should have finished has the team in a good space going into the Island Games.”

Bermuda’s football teams departed for the Island Games on Monday and stopped over in the UK for training sessions before they proceed to Guernsey on Friday.

Sixteen teams are taking part in the men’s competition, with ten in the women’s. The group-stage matches are lined up from July 9 to 11, with the top teams from each group heading into the play-offs on July 13, with the finals taking place a day later.

As one of the biggest islands taking part, Bermuda’s football teams are expected to do well at the Island Games. The last time Bermuda’s teams competed at the Island Games on home soil in 2013, both sides won gold, the two achieving success over Greenland at the Flora Duffy Stadium.