Published: 11 October, 2013
by PAUL COWLING at WEMBLEY STADIUM

TOTTENHAM'S Andros Townsend was the man of the match at Wembley tonight, as England got the first of two wins they need to qualify for the World Cup Finals in Brazil.

Townsend's showing was a debut of some promise, and after the match, Manager Roy Hodgson was quick to praise the Spurs flyer.

" Andros made a big impact. He showed calmness and composure.

"It can't have been easy for him (making his debut), but he deserves all the credit."

Hodgson must take credit too, for being bold enough to start him in the first place, when he could have gone for the trusted, less-attack minded James Milner.

As it was, Townsend showed a confidence from the off; flicking the ball off his heel for Danny Welbeck to run on to for a shot in the third minute – one of 16 on goal that England had in a one-sided first half they dominated.
 

Two Montenegrin defenders were detailed on Townsend at any one time, leaving space for the front three of Welbeck, Danny Sturridge and Wayne Rooney.

Sturridge took a while to get into the game, while Rooney had England's best chance of the first half. On 39 minutes, Townsend laid the ball off to the Manchester United striker, but with little to aim at, the ball struck the post and brushed into the side netting. Rooney still should have scored.

Earlier on, there had still been indications as to why England have made heavy weather of qualification from this group, when Frank Lampard's sloppy pass on 14 minutes, set Stevan Jovetic away, but the Manchester City striker skewed his shot well wide from 35 yards out.

Montenegro were well drilled defensively and were content to sit back, but they gradually got into the game more. This was better for England as they home side could carve out more chances.

Just before the break, Welbeck saw a glancing header drift wide of the left post, just as news was coming through that Ukraine were leading Poland 1-0.

Now England had to score, hold on and win the game.

Early in the second half came the breakthrough. On 48 minutes, Townsend stole the ball in his own half, and stormed down the right flank. He fed Danny Welbeck, whose well drilled shot was saved by keeper Vukasin Poleksic.

Relief coursed through a noisy Wembley, as Rooney picked up the rebound, and controlled and composed, he swept the ball into the net for 1-0 England.

England, who had been dominant, without the killer instinct, had suddenly found a cutting edge.

They swept forward in search of a second, and it duly came on 61 minutes. Sturridge fed Welbeck with a swift back heel. His cut back was meant for Wayne Rooney, but Branko Boskovic was comically on hand to skew the ball into his own net to make it 2-0.

Boskovic got a consoling kiss on the cheek from Jovetic, and had a hypothetical one from a relieved Hodgson, resplendent in Club England car coat.

At the other end, Jovetic let fly with a scorcher that hit the cross bar, and had his City team mate, Joe Hart clutching at thin air. Then on 70 minutes, the Brave Falcon visitors got a goal back, when Dejan Damjanovic got on the end of a cross from substitute Fatos Bequiraj. 2-1, and still 20 minutes to play.

England, who had been coasting, now needed a third, They got it, and what a goal it was.

On 77 minutes, Welbeck won the ball – it fell to Townsend. He only had one aim in mind, and with his weaker right foot, sent a shot cannoning off the post and past a poleaxed Poleksic. Townsend ran jubilantly away to milk the rapture of team mates and crowd, and the three points were in the bag.

England were too good for Montenegro on the night, and so another tension cranking goal from the visitors was never really likely. Instead the gloss was put on a night that belonged to Andros, when England were awarded an injury time penalty.

Sturridge was clumsily hacked down in the box by Ivan Kecojevic. The Liverpool man was handed the ball by Rooney, and he made no mistake to make it 4-1 England. Now roll on Tuesday, and Poland.

With the 1-0 defeat against the Ukranians, the Poles are now out of contention, even for a play-off place, but Hodgson knows the match on Tuesday won't be easy.

" It will be a tough game, but I trust the players, and we will have the backing of the fans."

The crowd were up for it against Montenegro, and so were the players. If things go the same way again, then England are on that plane for Brazil, and right now, that is all that matters.

England: Hart; Walker, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines; Gerrard (Milner 87), Townsend (Wilshere 80), Lampard (Milner 65); Sturridge, Rooney, Welbeck