England Ladies 1 Iceland Ladies 0
England: R.Brown (S.Chamberlain 45), C.Stoney (L.Johnson 45), R.Unitt, A.Asante, K.Chapman, M.Phillip, K.Carney, F.Williams, E.Aluko (A.Scott 60), K.Smith, R.Yankey (J.Potter 67). England Ladies warmed up for their crucial World Cup qualifier against France with a morale boosting victory over Iceland Ladies at Carrow Road, Norwich. Despite enjoying long spells of dominance, however, only a late Karen Carney header separated the sides at the end and a general lack of goals must be something of a concern to Hope Powell. Since destroying Hungary 13-0 last year her side have managed only three goals in four games. On the plus side they have not been beaten in any of them. Powell again handed the responsiblity of standing in for Faye White to Katie Chapman and she again didn't let anyone down. It cannot be expected that the ride will be quite so easy against the French, however, as Iceland failed to mount any serious pressure. England signalled their attacking intent from the off and created a series of early chances. Karen Carney picked out Fara Williams in the first minute but the Everton star headed wide. The wholehearted midfielder would suffer a frustrating night in front of goal and she would not be alone. There was an early scare at the other end as Margaret Vidarsdottir broke clear but Chapman was able to execute a recovering tackle before the striker could get her shot away. That would be about the last that was seen of the visitors attack in the first half as England, and Kelly Smith inparticular, began to control proceedings. Roving all across the frontline Smith was irresistable, until it came to the finishing touch. Then, like her colleagues, she showed herself to be mortal. The Icelanders had no answer to the power of her running, however, which led to a succession of chances. Fara Williams had another chance after an effort by Smith had been charged down but Helgadottir made a decent save and the keeper had to be alert at her near post to deny Eni Aluko after a fine sweeping England move. The two Rachels linked well down the left to feed Smith who smuggled her way past two defenders tight to the touchline and centred for Aluko to flick an instinctive shot towards goal. Another piece of trickery along the left byline saw Smith pull an inviting ball back into the box. Aluko cleverly stepped over the ball for Williams who was unattended on the penalty spot, normally her favourite position. Williams chose to have a touch but it was a bad one and although she still got a shot away, under pressure it went over the bar. Then England went even closer to breaking the deadlock. Shaping to shoot as a loose ball ran her way just outside the area Kelly Smith instead swerved away from a defender into the box and cracked a ferocious drive against the face of the bar with the keeper helpless. Then England ended a frustrating half with Aluko testing Helgadottir again from a low Yankey centre. Once more Iceland's keeper was up to the task. Half Time: England Ladies 0 Iceland Ladies 0 As changes began to be made by both sides and the rain continued to sweep across Carrow Road some of England's fire was damped but they were still the side making most of the running. The chances were not as clear in the second half as they had been in the first, however. Anita Asante saw a close range header charged down and Chapman was close after turning well inside the area. England's defensive concentration was called into question when, on a rare break, Vidarsdottir again got beyond the defence. This time she did get her shot in and Siobhan Chamberlain, a half time replacement for Rachel Brown, had to produce a top save. Karen Carney raced back deep into her own half to win possession and set off a swift England counter which saw the ball moved quickly between Williams and Asante out to Yankey on the left flank. The mercurial winger looked at her menacing best as she drove straight at the stretched Iceland defence but then seemed to lose her conviction as she approached the box and ended with a tame cross shot beyond the far post as support arrived to her right. Carney was threatening to take over from Smith as England's chief creative force but it was beginning to look as though the breakthrough would never come when England's persistence finally paid off with just over ten minutes remaining. Two Icelandic defenders dithered over clearing a deep corner and Rachel Unitt promptly stole back possession. After turning away from a challenge onto her favoured left foot Unitt clipped a super ball into the middle where Carney was loitering with intent and her header from eight yards out was powerful and accurate enough to beat the keeper and a defender who had stayed on the post following the corner. Carney's delight was there for all to see although some explanation is probably required as to why she was flexing her biceps in the direction of the bench. It was nice to see the talented Carney, a bit of a Joey Cole type, on the scoresheet bearing in mind the difficult season she is having to endure with Birmingham Ladies at club level. She had been moved into a more central role during the second half and had responded well. With the pressure lifted and the 9,616 crowd, a record for a friendly, now happy enough despite the weather England ended the match with a bit of a flourish which raised a few cheers even if it didn't bring a second goal. All in all it had been an excellent nights work but the reality is that this game, and the two recent fixtures against Sweden, will count for very little once the game gets under way against France at Ewood Park. There is now only two weeks to go to that fixture and Hope Powell will doubtless be keeping everything crossed that her squad remains intact until then. She will have to anxiously watch another Arsenal/Charlton fixture before that which is likely to follow the bone jarring style of their clash last weekend. Nervous times indeed for the national coach but exciting ones as well. Powell and her team stand on the threshold of something very special. One big performance at Blackburn in a fortnights' time and everyones dreams may well come a whole lot closer to being reality. Full Time: England Ladies 1 Iceland Ladies 0 England: Brown 6 (Chamberlain 7), Stoney 6 (Johnson 6), Unitt 7, Asante 7, Chapman 8, Phillip 7, Carney 8, Williams 7, Aluko 7 (Scott 6), Smith 8, Yankey 6 (Potter 6). Star Player: Kelly Smith Apologies to the person who wrote in complaining about the high marks awarded to Smith in the past but she left me no alternative again with an eye catching display. Her strength and subtlety is a rare mix and kept Iceland's defence at full stretch all night. Hopefully she's saving the goals for the French. Catch up with all the latest Womens Football News
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