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Thursday March 6, 2008; European Championship Qualifier Northern Ireland Ladies 0 England Ladies 2 England: S.Chamberlain, A.Scott (L.Johnson 71), F.White, M.Phillip, C.Stoney, F.Williams, A.Asante, J.Scott, K.Carney, K.Smith, R.Yankey. England Ladies maintained their 100% record in their European Championship qualifying group despite making hard work of overcoming a spirited, but limited, Northern Ireland side in Lurgan. England started as though they meant business, spurned several early chances before taking a first half lead but then seemed to slip too easily into cruise control. This apparent complacency led to a few nervous moments before victory was finally clinched late on. England started with real pace and purpose and hit the woodwork in the opening exchanges. Brisk passing released Anita Asante into the box but, having rounded the goalkeeper, she refused the shot from a narrow angle favouring a cut back for Kelly Smith. Smith, under pressure, got a shot in but saw it rebound to safety from the post. In England's next attack it was Smith herself storming into the box and when she went down under challenge a penalty was immediately signalled. Smith stepped forward to take the kick but sent a feeble effort straight at Emma Higgins. The Irish keeper, perhaps surprised at just how bad a penalty it was, saved but could only parry the ball back to Smith whose next effort was slightly better but was again reached by Higgins who this time pushed the ball to safety. England shrugged off this disappointment to continue pouring forward and a goal seemed inevitable. Fara Williams made a break down the left before sending in a fine centre which Smith met with her head but Higgins was once more equal to the effort, tipping the ball behind for a corner. The pressure had to tell, however, and on 18 minutes England took an overdue lead. Karen Carney sent in a deep centre from the right which ended up with her fellow winger Rachel Yankey. She slammed a cross shot towards goal which was blocked but never cleared and Williams arrived on cue to prod home from close range. Football England's favourite then indulged in a silly little goal celebration that might have been modelled on the Nicolas Anelka routine or might just have been a reprise of the controversial Tim Cahill handcuffs effort. The home crowd and team probably feared the worst at this stage but this goal did not spur England on to greater efforts, it signalled the end of the most urgent of their attacking. From here on there was far less of a threat behind England's passing and movement and although the conditions, wet and windy, might take some blame it seemed clear that England were too happy to ride their lead. With Carney and Yankey once again only occasionally dangerous, the midfield functional rather then flamboyant and Kelly Smith continually crowded out playing as an out and out striker England struggled for much real cohesion as the first half drifted by. There was a flurry of activity as England roused themselves again with half time approaching. One excellent move saw Smith and Williams combine to send Jill Scott racing down the wing and when she squared the ball into Yankey there was real danger but the winger wanted far too long and was finally crowded out. England managed one more decent ball into the box which a stretching Kelly Smith was just unable to reach in front of goal but most of the early promise and intensity had definitely vanished from the England performance. Half Time: Northern Ireland Ladies 0 England Ladies 1 The second half followed a similar pattern with England bossing the game but without having a cutting edge. There was little prospect of Ireland shocking their visitors with a goal, although a couple of set pieces brought an uncertain response from Siobhan Chamberlain, but England became increasingly frustrated at their inability to raise their game back to the level at which it had started. Unable to find a second, killer, goal a degree of frustration entered their play which eventually brought a silly booking for Kelly Smith which rules her out of the next game at home to the Czech Republic. Smith remained the player most likely to conjure a goal but everything she threw at Higgins in the Irish goal was dealt with competently. Smith tested Higgins on three occasions but with no reward, the goalkeepers' best save coming when she leapt to tip a drive from the edge of the area over the bar. With England finding chances in open play harder to come by set pieces began to look their most likely route to goal and both Faye White and Alex Scott came close following corners before Smith picked up the booking which will force her to sit out the next game. With England's attack finding it increasingly difficult to make an impression it was somewhat surprising to find Hope Powell unwilling to make changes to the forward positions and her reluctance suggested that she is not altogether confident about the ability of her reserves to make an impression. The one change Powell did make was at the back as she sent on Lindsay Johnson to replace Alex Scott. There was little of a defensive nature for Johnson to concern herself with but she was able to make an impact at the other end as England finally wrapped up victory with six minutes left. Another corner caused confusion inside the Ireland penalty area and when Johnson's effort was blocked in a goalmouth scramble the ball ran to captain White who belted the loose ball high into the net. Not England's most fluent performance, therefore, but another important step towards the ultimate goal of qualification for next summers' finals in Finland. Full Time: Northern Ireland Ladies 0 England Ladies 2 England: S.Chamberlain 5, A.Scott 6 (L.Johnson 6), F.White 6, M.Phillip 5, C.Stoney 5, F.Williams 7, A.Asante 6, J.Scott 6, K.Carney 5, K.Smith 6, R.Yankey 5. Star Player: Fara Williams Fara normally turns in an honest shift in the midfield and this game was no exception. She did not have to approach her best form to earn the plaudits on this occasion, however.
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