IAN HERBERT: There's life after Bale as the Page boys usher in a new era! For too long the football conversation in Wales has been downbeat... but their victory against Finland felt like a team stepping out into the light

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For all those years of waiting, the unvarnished truth about that Wales Qatar World Cup campaign was that it felt like torture.

The waiting and longing for Gareth Bale to produce something. The excruciating sense that Bale was at every press conference under duress. The undeniable sense that Rob Page had no control over events, merely hoping his superstars would produce the virtually impossible.

Page still clings to the vestiges of that beautiful era, holding to a far-fetched notion that Aaron Ramsey - on the bench on Thursday – has another headline in him.

But the match was about this little nation moving on and Page doing what managers do. Setting out a system and deploying players to fit into. No more waiting, hoping and holding his breath.

It was a different kind of Wales for this big occasion. A team better than the sum of its part. A collective with such a fine kind of balance – Nathan Ampadu and Jordan James in the engine room, providing a stability which gave that three-man defence such confidence.

Neco Williams celebrates with his team-mates after he scored to help wales beat Finland 

There is life after Gareth Bale, with Wales now 90 minutes away from qualifying for Euro 2024

Rob Page's side will play against Poland in the final, with the manager saying: 'bring it on!'

And pace. Extraordinary, enervating pace. Harry Wilson, David Brooks, Brennan Johnson and later Dan James - looking for the early ball, receiving it and wreaking havoc.

It wasn’t always Bale class. Wilson miscued when he might have finished this off with a fourth on the hour-mark. But these players seemed to know that this was their time. 

Wilson requires particular mention. He has faced pressure for a long time, as a prodigy breaking through at Liverpool. He, more than anyone last night, seemed set free.

Brooks, too. His international future has looked uncertain for so long, even when he returned from cancer treatment. 

Just a couple of substitute’s appearances at the last Euros. But he has come out into the light. 

The opportunism of his third-minute goal was a vindication of Page’s decision to play him. It set in motion what was the best performance of Page’s reign.

Ben Davies, equalling Gary Speed’s cap total last night, who was close to Bale and Ramsey, and knows more than any what their departure meant.

It’s a new kind of leadership from him, while Neco Williams stepped up to deliver what Bale always did with the deadball.

David Brooks gave his side a dream start volleying in from a rebound after just three minutes

Ben Davies had a goal disallowed during the match but equalled Gary Speed's cap total

Brennan Johnson got in on the action too, as he added Wales' third goal on the evening

There was no mistaking Wales' buoyancy with their home fans in full voice at the performance

If there’s a worry for what lies up ahead - a play-off final against Poland in Cardiff next Tuesday - it is the defensive errors this side are prone to. It was another most uncertain night for Chris Mepham, whose positioning failed him when Teemu Pukki buried the ones chance he had. 

The Poles – 30 places above the Finns in the FIFA rankings and one below Wales – will be a different proposition.

But there was no mistaking the buoyancy. For too long, the football conversation in Wales has been downbeat, with gloom about the departing legends and such uncertainty about the future and what a barren landscape it might.

As the Welsh national anthem echoed around the stadium near the end, this felt like something different. A team stepping out into the light.