of Kyle Lightbourne and Sammy Swan? How would they survive? Those were some of the questions being asked as PHC set out for the 1992-93 soccer season and they have been answered with one word...Youth! First-year coach Jack Castle, more by circumstance than choice, has instituted a youth brigade at the Warwick club and so far it is paying dividends.

The talent-laden Zebras made it to the Martonmere Cup final and up until this past weekend led the league, a position they can reassume with a point tonight against Somerset.

"We go out there to enjoy ourselves. We're just young guys trying to produce a name,'' said striker Kenny Mills, at 23 regarded as one of the senior players.

Indeed they seem to be having loads of fun and are increasingly becoming the topic of conversation among followers of the sport.

Forwards Mills, Shawn Simons and Raynel (Manga) Lightbourne along with midfielder Otis Steede have answered the goal-scoring question, combining for 15 of the 25 scored by PHC in league and cup competitions. The Zebras lead the league with 18 goals from seven matches.

Mills in particular has been a godsend for Castle.

In and out of the line-up last season Mills appears to have finally turned the corner, leading the league in scoring with eight goals and has become more of a vocal leader up front.

"With these guys I think it was just a matter of giving them an opportunity,'' said Castle of his troop of precocious youngsters. "I think from my experience of being with them throughout the years at the junior ranks that has helped a lot.

"Unlike most First Division coaches, where they have to get to know the junior players, I've been with them for four or five years and I already know them. They're not doing anything that's beyond them. It's all about giving them the opportunity.'' Castle himself came in for criticism from fans after his side endured a series of poor results at the beginning of the season. But he has since silenced the naysayers with this resurgence.

Said Castle: "There wasn't any doubt in my mind that we would produce.

"You expect these things (verbal abuse) from your supporters. This is a prestigious club that is used to winning.

"I told the players there's opportunity out there and let's silence the critics. As long as you can keep the critics quiet you're doing well.'' Meanwhile Steede, who made his first-team debut last year, points to experienced members Mike Dill and Derek (Nails) Douglas as a major reason for the progress of he and his young team-mates. He also said that they are only doing what comes natural.

"I think we guys have been playing off natural ability.

"We've been getting a lot of talk from the senior guys like Mike Dill and Nails. They've groomed us on and we're out there just playing our game.'' It has also helped Steede to be able to link up in midfield alongside Frank and Sheridan Ming, both veterans of several successful campaigns. His stature has certainly grown as a silky smooth midfield general.

Speedy winger Simons concurred with Steede's assessment that they are guided more by instinct at this stage and can only get better with experience.

A welcome addition to the squad this season, Simons sat out last season and only returned at the insistence of his family.

He counts his mother and father as his main proponents as well as his uncle, former Bermuda international Lance Brown. And like Brown his trademark is a powerful left foot.

"I feel that with the young guys Otis, Manga, Kenny Mills and myself, we've been playing hard and the coach really has a lot of faith in us.'' "We've come up through the ranks, so we basically know exactly what to do...get the ball down the field, score and win games.'' A few years ago Simons travelled to England along with current Bermuda captain Meshach Wade for a four-week apprenticeship at Coventry City. He said that he would not mind returning there to take on a professional career.

"My goal is to get out of Bermuda and get back in school or go professional.

I had one try, I'd like to get another if God permits it.'' Mills noted the improvement since the beginning of the year and said he feels that PHC can only go forward. He himself has had to adjust from a midfield role to one where he roams in an out of the attack.

"Being that Sammy and Kyle had left they decided to push me up front and act as a senior guy for these younger players,'' said Mills, currently enjoying his best season. "At the beginning they were slowing me down where I had to take time and think for them and me too, but now we've started to combine a lot better and pick up our game.

"Plus the more I talk to these guys it brings them into the game and helps me as well.'' According to Lightbourne he was nicknamed Manga at birth when his father took a look at him and decided he resembled the fruit version.

But there is nothing soft about his game as he has begun to establish himself as a force on the domestic scene.

Hotels -- defender Franklyn Greaves in particular -- learned first hand of the dazzling array of ball skills possessed by this reed thin striker who caused his more experienced opponents fits and managed a goal in a 3-0 victory.

"Fitness-wise, I've improved this season, also holding up the ball and I'm not afraid to take on bigger guys than me,'' said Lightbourne. "Generally things have gone well so far. Everybody's coming together in unity.'' Castle is reaping the fruits of a fine harvest planted in one of the Island's best junior programmes. Not mentioned above are teenagers Dano Outerbridge and Roderick Lewis, who have performed admirably in their roles as first-team defenders.

Still the key with this influx of youth at PHC is the sprinkling of experience to balance out the equation and this is what has enabled them to perform on a consistently high level and may keep them there.

OTIS STEEDE -- Producing the goods in his first full season with the league champions.