Bermuda Football Association as to when Shawn Goater will be returning from Bermuda's World Cup engagement with Haiti on Sunday.

The promotion-seeking club desperately want to have their Bermudian striker back in time to play in the vital promotion match next Tuesday with Wrexham -- two days after Goater leads the Bermuda attack in their World Cup fixture with the Haitians at the National Stadium.

Rotherham inproved their promotion chances yesterday with a 2-0 home win over leaders Blackpool, a win that lifted Rotherham into a three-way tie for first place with Blackpool and Burnley who still have three games in hand. Rotherham and Blackpool both have two matches remaining, Rotherham playing Chesterfield and Wrexham.

"I'm waiting to hear because the gaffer wants me to come back on the Monday,'' said Goater who arrives in Bermuda this evening. "He wants me back to be a part of the match and will probably start me. My gaffer is not happy with me coming back on Tuesday.'' The BFA has made reservations for Goater to leave for England next Monday night, arriving in Manchester on Tuesday morning.

Failure to clinch promotion outright (the top three teams gain automatic promotion) means that Rotherham would be involved in three weeks of play-offs with three other teams for the final promotion spot. And with the play-offs not ending until May 25 it would mean having to decide between club and country that weekend as Bermuda play their second-leg match in Haiti on May 24.

"It's in our hands,'' Goater said of the possibility of returning to the Third Division at the first attempt. "If we don't take advantage of it we have only ourselves to blame.'' Goater played in yesterday's win over Blackpool as Des Hazel and Tony Cunningham scored in each half. Blackpool had a player sent off in the second half.

"Obviously at this stage of the season with two games left I'm not too bothered who scores as long as we win,'' said Goater. "It was a good all-round performance by us.'' Goater, with promotion firmly on his mind, has not had much time to think about the upcoming Haiti matches, though this week he will begin preparing for the important home tie on Sunday.

"My head has been filled with how I'm doing here but I'll think about it (the Haiti match) when I'm on the plane,'' said the 21-year-old striker. "After that I'll be back to domestic football, my bread and butter as they say over here.'' SHAWN GOATER.

Shaun Goater