The travelling West Ham fans saw a virtuoso performance from their boy Defoe against first division rivals Cardiff City. The 20-year old clawed back a two-goal deficit for Trevor Brooking's men after Wales international striker Robert Earnshaw found the net twice in the opening quarter of the game for the Bluebirds. Defoe's penalty just before half-time gave the Hammers a lift just before the break and his deflected effort in the 64th minute made it 2-2.

With an extra thirty minutes looming, the England Under-21 international took it on himself to drag the visitors into the draw for the next phase only three days after the disappointment of defeat - and a sending off - at Gillingham on Sunday. His individual run was finished with a supreme drive low into the corner completing the first hat-trick of his career, much to the delight of the caretaker boss.

"This probably felt as rewarding as any match I've had in my time in charge," said Brooking.

"Jermain deserves a lot of credit for the way he bounced back from the disappointment of being sent-off.

"He is starting to realise he is a big player in this league."

At nearly two years' Defoe's junior, Peter Whittingham, who was part of the England's Under-19 European Championship squad in the summer, got in on the action in Aston Villa's 5-0 cup drubbing of Wycombe.

Whittingham has become a regular in the Villa line-up since David O'Leary's arrival during the close-season, and had been solid and reliable in his 10 first team appearance prior to kick-off. His strike from just inside the box after 15 minutes, gave Villa the lead and the 20 year-old the chance to celebrate his first-ever goal.

A Juan Pablo Angel hat-trick then followed, before England forward Darius Vassell made it five from the spot with his first of this campaign.

And afterwards O'Leary praise Whittingham's display: "I thought Peter Whittingham was excellent," he said.

England's latest group of Under-19 players take on Russia in the third and final match of the European Championship 1st Qualifying Round Mini-Tournament this afternoon... 

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