IT was a day when everything clicked.

The new grandstand was packed to capacity, the home team racked up 13 goals, a Cabinet Minister wielded a battleaxe ? and they even played the right national anthem.

Bermuda's annihilation of Montserrat was a lot of fun for the flag-waving hordes who were able to enjoy a goal every six minutes in a real carnival atmosphere at the National Sports Centre last Sunday.

To score 13 goals in a World Cup game ? you couldn't really call it a match ? is a terrific achievement, no matter that Montserrat more than lived up to their billing as "the worst team in the world".

Kenny Thompson's boys clearly enjoyed themselves knocking the ball around on the 'carpet' and several of the goals were absolute crackers.

Meshach Wade's Shearer-style rocket into the roof of the net after a perfectly executed wall pass got my vote for goal of the day.

The action even stirred the fans to chant ? a rare thing indeed at a Bermuda international, where all too often in the past the biggest noise has come from individuals second-guessing the coach or suggesting that there should be players from this or that club on the field.

No, this time the fans got right behind the team from the kick-off.

Sports Minister Dale Butler must take part of the credit for his energetic efforts to whip up the fans' fervour before kick-off.

Statesmanlike he was not, waving a placard emblazoned with the words "Let's go Bermuda, let's go!" at the fans. He even clung onto his tomahawk as he went onto the field to meet the teams and wielded it above his head to celebrate each goal.

Who cares whether he was statesmanlike? Butler's outrageous enthusiasm is exactly what Bermuda football needs. The boys will really need some rousing vocal support when they face El Salvador in the next round, when the goals will not be so easy to come by.

The grandstand itself helps to create an atmosphere. During the last World Cup campaign four years ago, when the team also enjoyed a massive win, 9-0 against the British Virgin Islands, there was also a lot of excitement among the bleachers. But the noise drifted off into the sky.

This time the sounds of cheering echoed back off the grandstand roof. Improved facilities are uplifting to fans and players alike.

On the pitch, it was clear that the Bermuda team was well organised and competent ? unlike their opponents.

When Bermuda were playing against the wind, the square Montserrat defence consistently pushed out to nearly the halfway line.

All Bermuda had to do to create a chance was play the ball over the top into the spacious acres behind the Montserrat back-line, where the strong wind obligingly held up the ball.

To their credit, the Bermuda team for the most part kept the ball on the ground and played some attractive football.

And it is to Montserrat's credit that a country with a population of 4,500 can put out a national team at all. And even at 13 goals down, no-one was moping or sitting on the grass. They may have been chasing shadows but at least they kept on chasing.

It a safe bet the Goat would have enjoyed a feeding frenzy, had Reading allowed him to come back for the match.

In the end, it's probably not a bad thing he couldn't make it, as he is the last member of the Bermuda squad to need finishing practice.

It's interesting that Goater has expressed a desire to play in this World Cup campaign, unlike the last one. In 2000, the circumstances were similar, with Goater being involved with a team pushing for promotion from the First Division, then it was Manchester City.

He played in the 5-1 away victory over the BVI, but then made it clear he did not want to play in the next round against Antigua, a game Bermuda lost on the away goals rule.

This time he is making no bones about it, he wants to play. So what's changed?

Now he is a little closer to the end of his professional playing career, could he have one eye on a job with the BFA? It's something he's expressed an interest in in the past.

Whatever the reasons behind his change of heart, it will be a treat for the fans to see the Goat team up with the powerful Nusum in a striking partnership that could give El Salvador a problem or two in June.