Shaun Goater admits he lost control during the shenanigans that led to his 61st minute penalty, but his ?out of character? retaliation will not be what the night is remembered for.

It will be remembered for his two goals and the third ?absolute sitter? that got away and an all-round performance that justified his trip home and gave Kenny Thompson?s men a highly satisfying two goal victory against tetchy and over-dramatic Central American opposition.

?Well, it was well worth coming back for,? said a beaming Goater, just seconds after being mobbed by Ministers and youngsters alike.

?This is wonderful, to see this many people turn-out and to hear the passion of the crowd and to get this result.

?Nicaragua were a tough team to play against and to get a win against them is a great result for us.

?We maybe made hard work of it a little bit but we have to be pleased with the scoreline.?

And as for Goater?s scoring, which included a trademark first-half header and a confidently struck second-half penalty followed by a scuffed mis-kick from five yards in the dying seconds.

?It is always nice to score and, yes, I know I should have got a hat-trick? he continued with the look of a delight on his face that only three goals in five days can give a striker.

?I don?t want the gaffer back home (Reading boss Steve Coppell) seeing a tape of that one. That was an absolute sitter and I know I should have done better with it.

?But it worked out well because the birthday boy Rohaan Simons got his goal.?

And as for the antics of the opposition, which included a blatant foul on Goater and then a huge over-reaction when the giant frontman appeared to put a hand on the opponent?

?It is something you have to get used to when you play teams from that part of the world,? he added.

?There is a lot of pushing and pulling and standing on your feet and rolling around and then going down like they have been shot. It is something we have to get used to ahead of the El Salvador game.

?I admit I lost control and that is very unlike me, very out of character. But these things happen in football and these guys really try and provoke you.

?It is part of their game.?

And Kenny Thompson, who described himself as ?ecstatic? following the victory, shares Goater?s concerns about the temperament of the opposition, although in more guarded terms.

?I think we learnt a lot tonight about how we can expect things to be against El Salvador,? said Thompson, whose side will face a potential hot-tempered rematch tomorrow night against the Nicaraguan visitors.

?You just have to stay calm in the face of these things and that?s something the players will have learnt. It is a different way of playing and it is something we have to get used to.

?It will be a useful experience for us for when we head down to El Salvador where we will have to deal with the same types of player but also the crowds which we can expect to be around 50 or 60,000.?

As well as the coolness his side showed in the face of some questionable tactics by the opposition, Thompson was delighted with the way the side kept their structure, particularly in defence.

?We know after tonight that we are capable of playing against opponents with a lot of technical ability,? he continued.

?I was delighted with the way we held together our defensive structure throughout the game and I thought it was a very satisfying performance and one we can take a lot of confidence from.?

And Thompson, along with the majority of the fans crammed into the stadium, was delighted with the contribution of the Island?s top pro.

?Well Shaun obviously made a big difference,? added Thompson.

?It was great to have him in the side and everyone can see the contribution he made. That first goal was a classic Shaun Goater headed goal and then he thumped the penalty home with authority.

?He brings a lot to the team, quality and composure, and it was pleasing to see him out there. The other players seemed to be feeding off him but there were also a number of other very pleasing performances.?