'Special day' for Earnshaw

He said: "It is a very special day for me and for the team. I am so happy I couldn't put it into words what tonight was like. It was so nice to get a hat trick."

Earnshaw may have grabbed three goals and all the plaudits but the hitman still insisted that it was not all about him.

Earnshaw said: "It wasn't just about me, the whole team really did well - we looked confident out there. The backlash after the Russia game was today - we really wanted to get out there and play. It was a great day for everyone. We played really well."

The 22-year-old Cardiff City hitman has now fired six goals in 10 games for Wales, and has firmly staked a claim for his place in the starting line-up for the World Cup qualifiers.

Earnshaw certainly hopes so: "I didn't come in to try and fill anybody's boots. Obviously Craig Bellamy and John Hartson are great players but hopefully I think I can bring something else to the team and be myself."

Earnshaw added: "I hope I'll start the next game but you never know - I will just have to wait and see."

Wales captain Gary Speed, who also enjoyed a marvellous match, pulling the strings in midfield, joined in the praise for the somersaulting star.

Speed said: "He was fantastic, he deserves all the plaudits. He is so sharp and his size frustrates defenders, they can't keep with him. I think he could score goals at any level. To score a hat-trick at international level, nothing will faze him now."

Speed said that it was important for Wales to put on a performance in front of supporters who had not seen the Dragons win in the last seven games. He said: "We stressed before the game that although the performance was important, the result was as well.

"We got that and hopefully if we keep up performances like that, the results will come also. Hopefully we can build on it. It was important to bounce back and there was no hangover from Russia."