Jakeem Jennings fired Harborough Town into the Under-23 Midland League Trophy semi-final on Tuesday.

Jennings got his name on the scoresheet as Harborough sealed their progress with an emphatic 8-0 triumph over Sutton United Reserves

“It feels good to top our group and get to the semi- final,” Jennings told The Royal Gazette. “We have beat some tough opponents quite convincingly due to the work we do in training and analysis to make sure we are prepared for the game.

“Our manager, Josh Unsworth, has a lot of trust in me and the boys’ qualities, so most times it’s about us going out on the pitch and executing.”

The 22-year-old netted his fourth goal of the season to round off the scoring at The Bee Hive, with team-mates Kai O’Keefe (2), Archie O’Donnell (2), Joe Ball, Corey Birch and Josh Berwick also finding the net.

Jennings, who played locally for North Village before relocating to England, hopes to maintain his scoring form heading into a crucial stage of the season.

“We are at the business end of the season and with scoring recently I hope to continue to contribute to the team, whether that be assisting or scoring, to maintain this good run of form,” he said. “Our aim is to get silverware at the end of the season as a reward for all our hard work.”

Jennings is among a trio of Bermudians at the club, including under-23 team-mate Bakari Furbert and senior squad player Jutorre Burgess, who both joined Harborough’s emerging talent programme from Brooke House College academy.

“Being at the same club as other Bermudians such as Jutorre and Bakari is good for us because it’s always good energy as we want to see each other do well,” the former Bermuda Under-20 player said.

Jennings is grateful to be thriving again after missing a significant portion of the season through an ankle injury.

“After a tough start to the season suffering two injuries that kept me out for two months, I have had to work even harder to get myself back fit and back into the team,” Jennings said.

“I have been working with coach Corey Hill and Deniche Hill [Bermuda and Leicester Under-21 winger], going to the gym to help me build up my strength to do this, and so far I can see improvements.”

Jennings is the son of Keith Jennings, the Southampton Rangers player-coach and former Village midfielder, who has had a huge influence on his son’s career.

“My father definitely plays a big role in my aspirations since young,” he said. “Watching him play and doing training with him has helped me become the player I am today.”

Jennings has coped well acclimatising to the standard of the game since moving to England nearly a decade ago.

“I have been in the UK for almost eight years so I am well adjusted to the game,” he said. “Playing with men definitely gets you prepared physically and playing under-23 is more of a technical game in my opinion.

“In the future I hope to be playing at a decent level of men’s football, whether that be in the first team, which I have had the opportunity to train with, or elsewhere as I enjoy Harborough Towns. It is a good club to be involved with and is well supported.”