Spanish striker, and ex-club-mate of Chelsea front man Fernando Torres, says he has acclimatised to English football

Dani Lopez says scoring a hat-trick on his first start in a Stevenage shirt was a ‘dream’.

The 27-year-old had made four substitute appearances for Boro this season as well as having two successful loan spells in League 2 with Aldershot and Barnet before starting, and scoring three, in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Sheffield United.

The Spanish striker, a former club-mate of Fernando Torres at Athletico Madrid, spoke after the match through an interpreter, and with the signed match ball under his arm.

It was his second hat-trick in English football after he netted three times last weekend for Barnet against Morecambe, and although he scored three hat-tricks in Spanish football before his move to England he only has two match balls in his house because the third team had ‘no money’ and could not afford for him to keep the ball.

Speaking after Saturday’s win, Lopez said: “I’m very, very happy. It’s a dream, I can’t believe I’ve scored three goals.

“[It’s different from League 2], it’s much trickier to get three in League 1 but it’s incredible.

“I was delighted to start, I was a bit nervous early on as it was my first start for Stevenage but I settled down quickly because I had good support from my team-mates which made it more comfortable.

“It was a varied hat-trick. A good turn and finish [for the first], the second one I thought I might have been offside, and the third was the pick of the bunch.

“I feel far more settled after the loans, more acclimatised to English football and the rhythm of the game and slowly by slowly I’m getting there.”