AT the beginning of the season, it was widely accepted that for Bermuda Hogges this might be a do or die campaign.Yet, taking into account their recent form overseas, it might be premature to begin inscribing their epitaph on the tombstone.Given previous performances, stringing together three wins in a row was an achievement that even the most diehard of fans wouldn’t have considered possible.While the first of those victories came at BAA Field, the other two were on away turf in the US.And that may say more about the team than anything else.Playing away should be a distinct disadvantage. We see that in the English Premier League and all of those clubs in the lower tiers.That’s simply because home town fans have always been, and always will be, considered a 12th man.Playing on a familiar pitch in front of supporters willing their team on, desperate for success even more than the club itself, the players always feel they have the upperhand.It’s always about pride. And there’s nothing like defeat to dent that pride.When you see fans walking out of the turnstiles ten minutes before the final whistle, it’s because they’ve lost hope, they take it almost like a personal insult.Here in Bermuda you don’t see supporters leaving early, there aren’t many there in the first place.It may seem illogical but Hogges players might feel more comfortable playing across the pond. They feel less pressure and don’t have to justify their existence to those Bermudians who will flock to the club grounds to support their own team but show little interest in a Hogges team which essentially doubles as a national side.Bermuda Football Association decided some time ago senior national team games weren’t a priority. It’s the same old tired policy, similarly spouted every year by Bermuda Cricket Board: ‘We’re in the throes of development’.For 20 years or more, development hasn’t quite delivered.When teams such as the Hogges try to combine youth and experience, it doesn’t always ensure success as we’ve seen so many times over the past few years, but there have been signs in the last couple of weeks that combination can work.One swallow doth not a summer make, nor one brief winning streak indicate that over the horizon more success awaits.But the confidence built from their current road trip might be sufficient to temporarily silence the critics and hopefully entice those who have refused to offer their support, to come out and see for themselves that this team can still do Bermuda proud.Attendance at BAA this season has been dire.If the players do indeed feel more comfortable playing away, it’s a sad indictment on local football as a whole.Already those recent wins have lifted Hogges to fifth in the table. But in order to continue their improved form, they need a little more encouragement from those here who profess to be ardent followers of the game.And it should be recognised that there’s no more ardent follower than Paul Scope. Were it not for his money, time and perseverance, Hogges would no longer exist.He’s showed faith when others were ready to throw in the towel.No doubt the coaches and players want to reward that faith and repay the favour.As of late they’ve shown they are capable of doing just that.Now they have to convince the rest of the Bermuda they are no longer the whipping boys of international club football at this level.And they can only do that if they get the backing of their own countrymen.So far that hasn’t happened. Hopefully it will be long before the current season ends.If not, we can start digging the grave.* * * *AS noted briefly in this column last week, age no longer seems to be a factor in sport.It doesn’t exist at all in golf.And swimmer Lisa Blackburn showed again this week that age really is only a number.In a sport in which competitors were once regarded as ‘over the top’ after reaching the age of 20, Lisa, like so many, dispelled such nonsense at the Caribbean Championships.She returned with two gold medals and a silver . . . plus a new Caribbean 100 metres breaststroke record, and two other national records.Not bad for someone approaching her 40th birthday!Having spent much of her life in Canada, she decided to come home a few years ago.And if she reaches her goal of qualifying for the London Olympics, where she will be one of the oldest contestants in the pool, we should be proud that it will be the Bermuda flag that’s flying when she steps onto the starting block, not the maple leaf emblazoned on the Canadian flag.Much like the Hogges, she deserves all the support we can give her.ADRIAN ROBSON