Bermuda coach Michael Findlay knows his side must beat St Vincent & the Grenadines to have a chance of earning promotion to the top tier of the Concacaf Nations League.

The encounter at the Flora Duffy Stadium tonight (7.30pm) is the first of two crucial fixtures in League B group C, with Bermuda concluding the campaign away to table-topping French Guiana on Tuesday.

With his side heading into the match third in the group just two points adrift of the group leaders and a point behind St Vincent, Findlay is well aware of the importance of claiming all three points if they are to keep their hopes alive of a return to League A.

“The key thing is it is still in our own hands and that’s the most important thing,” Findlay said before holding his final training session at the stadium last night.

“We are still in a position where we are playing for something and that is important.

“Quite frankly all I’ve spoken about with the players is going out and winning, that’s it. We need six points to gain promotion back to League A, which has always been the objective.

“Football can be funny sometimes and we may have to deal with certain things if and when they unfold, but first and foremost we focus on the match tomorrow night and then look to what has to happen afterwards.”

The reverse fixture ended with Bermuda coming out on the wrong side of a seven-goal thriller in September, with a first-half defensive capitulation allowing Oalex Anderson to complete a six-minute hat-trick.

Findlay concedes he still cannot quite fathom the manner of that defeat, but has backed his side to make amends and show their true worth in front of a home crowd.

“It was just unbelievable,” Findlay said. “I’m from Canada and it was like an ice hockey score.

“I’ve referred to that match since as five minutes of chaos and I think that was a sign of some fragility within the squad. However, they rebounded well and should have got something from the game, which is a positive sign.

“I know the players were disappointed in themselves in St Vincent and like all players they have something to prove when you haven’t been successful because you want to show everyone, the coaches and the fans, that you are capable.

“They want to rise to the occasion on Friday and show St Vincent that wasn’t the Bermuda that we know we are.”

Having taken the reins from Kyle Lightbourne in August, much was made of Findlay’s greater onus on blooding youth, but while that still remains a key objective of his tenure, the head coach highlighted the positive impact of senior players such as Reggie Lambe, Dale Eve, Justin Donawa, Danté Leverock and Zeiko Lewis.

“Having those guys available within the same squad is really important,” he said. “They’ve experienced a lot and it is vital that they share those experiences with the younger players coming through.

“I’ve said since I came in that the programme needs to get younger, but you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water and the senior players are very important.

“They can help bring the younger players on, not just on the field, but off of it as well and it’s always nice to be in a position where I can look with confidence to players that are experienced and capable of making an impact.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Lambe himself, who is embracing his role as one the team’s more seasoned professionals.

“It’s been good to watch this transitional phase happening and being able to help those young lads coming through, while still bringing my quality to the team when required,” said the 32-year-old, who has 48 international caps to his name.

“It’s important to remind the younger players of the level we have been at before so that hopefully they can go and exceed that.

“We have a lot of young talent in this squad and so its all about pushing them on and encouraging them to succeed.

“Being one of the more senior players I hope that I can be one of those that the younger ones can look up to and help influence them to reach their potential.”

At the final training session before the match against St Vincent, Findlay revealed winger Luke Robinson is the only injury concern with a final decision on his availability set to be made on the morning of the game.

“Luke is the only player of concern right now,” he said. “Unfortunately he came in with a knock and we will make a decision tomorrow on where he is at.

“He’s the only one, so that is a real positive at this stage and gives the coaches some decisions to make in terms of selection.”