England...but it was one of his last as an amateur that remains closest to his heart.

The date was October 18, 1992, the venue National Stadium, the occasion Bermuda's first match in the second round of World Cup qualifying against El Salvador.

The spectacular winning goal Lightbourne scored that day lifted Bermuda's football to heights seldom seen before as the Island celebrated a 1-0 win.

"It's still very fresh in my memory,'' said Lightbourne, who scored with another header to net Bermuda's first goal in their 5-1 win in the British Virgin Islands.

"People ask me about the goal that sticks out in my memory and this is the first one that comes to my mind.'' Lightbourne relives the move down the left side: "Neil Paynter got injured keeping the ball in play, Voorhees Astwood crossed it and I headed it in from quite a distance out,'' Lightbourne recalled.

"That's why it sticks out in my memory so well. It was like a bullet off my head.'' Spectators, including the-then Premier Sir John Swan who ran onto the pitch, couldn't contain themselves as a 5,000 crowd erupted.

It is such scenes that Lightbourne and the rest of the Bermuda team want to relive as the country enter the World Cup qualifying for the first time since that campaign.

"Hopefully those days will come back for Bermuda,'' said the Stoke City striker.

"It was a good atmosphere and the country was pulling in one direction. I know it's a long time since that happened but we're a small knit community and I don't see why we can't get it going again.'' In the past few years a number of West Indian players have found their way into the English League and it is because of that that teams in the region have become stronger. Even the British Virgin Islands shouldn't be taken lightly, Lightbourne warned.

"I know that they have two English guys training them and I would imagine they are bringing with them the English style,'' said Lightbourne.

"Once the World Cup campaign gets going you will see the teams in the Caribbean bringing players over from England.

"One of my good mates, Martin O'Connor, who was captain of Walsall and is now captain of Birmingham City, played for the Cayman Islands against Jamaica two weeks ago.

"Another guy is Jason Roberts of Bristol Rovers, the joint top scorer in the Second Division, who I think is playing for one of the islands as well. The standard of play will become higher, so there are a couple of teams in there that we will want to avoid.'' Goals have been hard to come by for Lightbourne in the last two seasons since his 76 strikes in three seasons at Walsall earned him a dream move to Coventry City of the Premiership in February, 1998.

"I can go back to my Walsall days when I was scoring goals regularly, but I wasn't playing as well as I'm playing now,'' Lightbourne pointed out.

"I'm really happy with my form but the most disappointing thing is I haven't been scoring the goals. I've created a lot of goals for other players but it would be nice to get back on the scoresheet.'' Although Lightbourne will miss the second leg against the BVI, his partnership with Goater is expected to be the source of most of Bermuda's goals in the rounds to come.

Wreaking havoc: Kyle Lightbourne (on the ball), a Bermuda World Cup hero in 1992, takes on British Virgin Islands defenders (from left) O'Neal Roach, Wendall Nichols and Merrick Savage, during Bermuda's 5-1 victory in Road Town on March 5.

Caribbean cruise as Bermuda go on the rampage in Tortola RIGHT: David Bascome (on the ball) leads a charge of Bermuda's three star players, supported by Shaun Goater (left) and Kyle Lightbourne (left) during the 5-1 first-leg victory over the British Virgin Islands in Road Town.

BELOW LEFT: Danger man Goater and BVI goalkeeper Monti Butler go into aerial battle as Bermuda threaten to add to their goal tally.

BELOW RIGHT: Goater sends Butler the wrong way to convert a 63rd minute penalty to give Bermuda their fifth goal and complete his hat-trick.

SOCCER SOC