Last Sunday, a group of young men stood pitch-side at Lord's urging Hamilton Parish footballers to "stop that boy and don't let him get the ball".

It was the almost hopeless admonition each time a certain lanky yet skilful Dandy Town player came close to the ball.

Alas, the home side were unable to halt the boy's progress effectively as Khano Smith drilled in two of Town's goals in their 5-1 victory and set up a third; denting the vocal Parish fans' spirits and apparently their pockets also as some had bets on the match.

It was another polished performance from the young striker who has been the talk of Town's team for the first half of the soccer season.

He boasts seven goals in the last five Premier Division matches ? having been shut out in the first two league games ? and has been voted Man-of-the-Match four times.

Self-effacing in his assessment of his contribution to the cushy position in which Town find themselves at the halfway stage of the championship race ? out front with 17 points and unbeaten in any of their seven fixtures ? he is just pleased to be part of a unit that has a serious shot at wresting the trophy from a struggling North Village.

"As long as the team is winning I'm not too concerned about individual goals.

"The most important thing is to win the league. Anything after that would be a bonus," he said.

"I'd like to think we can win but it's still a long way to go. We can't get complacent with our position. We've just got to take it one game at a time.

"I want to play as well as I can in every game and to score a lot of goals but I never really set a target."

Averaging a goal per game already, the explosive forward is now eyeing ten to 15 goals in league competition and possibly 15 to 20 in all tournaments.

"I'm happy with how I'm scoring but I could have scored a few more. I missed some but that just comes with being a striker. You miss some, you score some."

His favourite net-rattling shot so far came in his team's 4-0 drubbing of Devonshire Colts.

"I dribbled down the left flank a little and then I had a shot from the top of the 18 (yard box) and I hit top corner," recalled Khano.

Apart from some dazzling, one-man dismantling of opposition defences at times, another feature of the 22-year-old's play this season has been his attacking partnerships with the likes of Jared Peniston, Reggie Tucker and particularly Carlos Smith. The Smiths' on-field chemistry has been sublime on occasions.

"Me and him just seem to be clicking very well this season. I don't know why that is but I think he has set up most of my goals. He delivers some great balls."

It's this type of cohesion and intuitiveness to which Khano attributes Town's success, noting there's strong team harmony plus a good blend of youth and experience in the squad. So, despite his consistent heroics Town's go-to guy does not feel pressure to perform.

"No, I don't feel it because I know we've got players who are capable of scoring goals on any given day so I don't feel any added responsibility. We've got multiple talent not just one or two persons."

It's a good time all around for Khano who has been summoned to senior national duty against Barbados later this month. That's an exciting prospect for a player who has already worn Bermuda's colours proudly at junior level.

If possible, he hopes to play all three matches against the visitors ? two for the Island and one for Town.

Though having returned home in summer after a few years studying in the USA, this talent is keen to pursue a future as a football pro and is currently scouting options in North America and Europe.

He has already had a taste of that life, having played for Carolina Dynamo in Greensboro, North Carolina, earlier this year. Before that outfit lost their professional status, they competed in Division 3 of the United Soccer League (USL); the third-highest league behind the MLS (Major League Soccer) and the A League.

"Playing at that level definitely helped me. Competing against players at a higher standard was good for me. I dream of playing professionally ? anywhere, it doesn't matter."

The son of former national netballer Deborah Smith and Town's technical director Wayne Baxter has been at the St. John's Road club from boyhood, briefly switching to North Village from age 12 to 14 because his club did not field a team in that age group.

At present, the Dellwood Middle School physical education teacher trains four days a week (two each with the national and club squads) and plays on Sundays.

It's a rigorous routine but this determined footballer keeps reminding himself that no pain often results in no gain.