A hat-trick from Steven Fletcher, the first by a Scottish international striker since Colin Stein in 1969, decorated the romp and ensured that UEFA's new boys have now conceded 27 goals in their first five pointless competitive internationals.

Yet still nothing could deflect from the pure joy of the moment at Hampden Park when, after 379 minutes of trying, Lee Casciaro, an officer with the Royal Gibraltar Police force, scored the part-timers' first ever goal in qualifying ties.

Very good it was too. Scotland had just gone ahead after 18 minutes through a Shaun Maloney penalty, courtesy of a rash challenge on Maloney from Gibraltar's keeper Jamie Robba.

Just a minute later, though, Aaron Payas, a lawyer, slipped a lovely ball on the counter attack to Casciaro, who fired low into the corner of the net to the delight of 500 travelling fans from the Rock.

At that point, the visitors were dreaming furiously. Until then, the side managed by a Scot, Davie Wilson -- splendidly dubbed the "Jock of Gibraltar" -- had been every bit the equal of the home side.

Even Scotland's manager Gordon Strachan conceded in an interview with the BBC: "All the credit should go to Gibraltar. They made my life a misery for periods of that game and a long game for me as a coach."

He also reckoned that, unlike his goalkeeper David Marshall, his two reserve keepers were thankful to have been on the bench.

"Allan McGregor and Craig Gordon now love me and think I'm the best manager in the world for not picking them; they're not in the history books!"

The Tartan Army's early fears of a familiar embarrassing struggle against a minnow -- think Costa Rica, San Marino and Liechtenstein -- only evaporated when Sunderland striker Fletcher, who had not scored for six years for Scotland, put them ahead after 29 minutes with a looping header.

Six minutes later, hero Casciaro turned villain, a rash foul in the box leading to Maloney's second penalty conversion before Steven Naismith made it four after 39 minutes.

In the second half, Gibraltar resisted stoutly until Fletcher's second headed goal after 78 minutes and a cool hat-trick strike in the final seconds.

Strachan revealed he had also been at Scotland's game at the same Hampden venue against Cyprus in 1969 when Stein scored four.

The victory leaves Scotland on 10 points in Group D, alongside Germany, who won 2-0 in Georgia, and a point behind leaders Poland, who drew 1-1 with Ireland.

(Writing by Ian Chadband in London; editing by Toby Davis)