England moved top of their Women’s Nations League group with a comfortable victory over Belgium at Ashton Gate on Friday night [Neil Holmes/SPP]

UEFA Nations League

ENGLAND 5 (Bronze 21, Bright 45, Beever-Jones 67, Park 77, Walsh 88)
BELGIUM 0

HER name did not grace the scoresheet in the end, but Arsenal attacker Beth Mead could look back on another job well done for England in their 5-0 thumping of Belgium last night (Friday).

More than 23,000 fans gave Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses their raucous backing throughout England’s UEFA Nations League clash with the Red Flames in Bristol.

That lively home support was rewarded with a five-star England performance and afterwards, goalscorers Lucy Bronze and Aggie Beever-Jones told the New Journal that Mead had more than played her part.

“It’s been nice to have Beth back in the squad and obviously starting today [and] having her back from injury,” said Bronze. “She’s picked up where she left off and brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the team.”

Second half substitute Beever-Jones celebrated her first goal in an England shirt on just her fourth cap thanks to an incisive cross from Mead.

And the Chelsea youngster later spoke of how the 29-year-old had offered her words of encouragement beforehand.

She said: “At half-time when I got told I was coming on, [Beth] said ‘you’ve got to get in the box, I want you there for my crosses!’. So I had that in the back of my mind.”

The stage was set for a fiery encounter, as a pink glow enveloped the warm night sky above Ashton Gate and a flame and firework display welcomed the teams on to the pitch.

But an under-strength Belgium side posed little threat to an England team that was captained by Gunner Leah Williamson and invigorated not only by the nightmare combination of Bronze, Keira Walsh and Mead on the right flank, but a rampant Alessia Russo as well.

As with Mead, the goals did not come for Russo, but like her club mate she carved out several chances, hitting the post twice and causing a good many headaches for the visitors with her movement.

But the scoring mostly fell to Chelsea’s players, with Bronze breaking the deadlock 21 minutes in with a fine header.

The crowd upped the ante as the half ran on with strains of ‘Sweet Caroline’ ringing around the stadium and Millie Bright sent them into the break happy with a scruffy goal on the stroke of half time.

Mead continued to impress as she set up Chelsea’s Beever-Jones for England’s third on 67 minutes.

And in a performance reminiscent of former Arsenal star Karen Carney in her teenage England pomp, Manchester City’s Jess Park made it four with a fine solo effort.

The night was completed by another Chelsea player, Keira Walsh; remarkably her goal was the influential midfielder’s first for England in 83 appearances.

“I’m very happy with the win and how we showed up,” said Wiegman after a victory that sent England to the top of their group.

Belgium will get the chance to show what they can do at home on Tuesday when they host the Lionesses in Leuven for the return.