Bermuda icon Shaun Goater has not ruled out the possibility of starting North Village's Dudley Eve final against PHC as he hunts for his first trophy as Rams coach, writes Derek deChabert.

Last month in the Dudley Eve qualifying rounds Goater jumped off the bench and bagged a brace against Zebras to salvage a draw for his side – and yesterday he mischievously suggested he may shed his super-sub tag and start from the first whistle.

"I may already be on the field come kick off," said Goater, whose team face Zebras for the third time this season tomorrow.

Goater has made an encouraging start to his North Village coaching career, steering them out of trouble after taking over the reins from Elliott Jennings midway through last season.

But he knows another trophyless season at Bernard Park will not be tolerated and fully expects a tough test against Zebras as he bids for his first piece of silverware.

"I don't have jitters as a coach, these are games that as a player you want to play in," Goater said. "Nerves aren't a bad thing but after assessing my players they are excited and ready for the challenge.

"The match is going to have everything, close decisions, passion, good football – all the components for a final. In my short time coaching, Village v PHC has always been a battle, so I expect nothing less tomorrow."

Although Goater admitted that winning the Dudley Eve had not been a priority at the start of the season, now Rams have reached the final he will be gunning to get one over on his close friend, and PHC coach, Kyle Lightbourne.

And he has cranked up the pressure on Lightbourne's men by labelling them the final favourites considering their recent form in cup competitions.

"It's exciting for us to be in this position because at the beginning of the season this wasn't a trophy we were looking to challenge for," he said. "But we find ourselves in this situation and now that we're here, we will give everything.

"PHC have done extremely well in cup competitions, we were actually having a conversation a few weeks back and he (Lightbourne) was saying that he has won five trophies or something like that in his time of coaching.

"I don't know of anyone who has won that many trophies in that short space of a time.

"Without doubt they're the favourites on recent finals, they know how to win trophies so we shall see how it goes.

"Let's get it on. Both sides are equal, we both will use our tactics to get any advantage and the side that executes better will win the match."