England give Italy the blues

England v Italy
European Challenge Trophy
Wednesday 15 February 2006
Cambridge United FC

England left it late before seeing off Italy to record their second successive victory in the inaugural European Challenge Trophy on Wednesday night.

Level at 1-1 with just 12 minutes remaining, the hosts scored twice though Chris Blackburn and Craig Mackail-Smith to defeat Italy at Cambridge United's Abbey Stadium.

England made a perfect start when York City's Andy Bishop put the home side ahead after only four minutes.

After George Boyd had already forced Davide Bassi into a save at full stretch, Bishop latched onto a through ball from Ian Craney to finish coolly, scoring his second goal in as many internationals.

Bishop went close again on eleven minutes when he again got beyond the last defender, but this time fired wide.

Chances continued to come England's way with Carl Baker and Bishop again going close, but Paul Fairclough's side were made to rue not capitalising on their possession when Italy equalised on 33 minutes.

Carlo Emmanuele Ferrario was the scorer, and whilst not exhibiting all the pace of an Italian supercar, his gold boots certainly lent him a touch of class.

The striker who plies his trade for Calcio Lecco 1912 in Serie C latched onto a though ball and shot from just inside the 18-yard box.

To the horror of 'keeper Schwan Jalal, the ball managed to squirm underneath him, giving Italy an equaliser that they barely deserved.

Despite a free kick from 25 yards that flew past Jalal's far post from Italy captain Marco Parolo, the two sides went into the break level.

England started the second half in the ascendancy and on 50 minutes created a great chance to retake the lead.

Craney, who had impressed in the first half with some tidy distribution in the middle of the park, set Bishop racing clear, but the young striker blazed over the bar from 12 yards.

As both sides made a flurry of substitutions, England almost gifted Italy a second goal on 67 minutes.

After some casual passing across the backline, Ferrario rounded Jalal but failed to steer his shot on target, with David Perkins desperately racing back towards the England goal.

The game fired back into life when Parolo sparked some pushing and shoving on 78 minutes after a foul on Craney, and from the resulting free-kick England won a corner.

In a move that Paul Fairclough confirmed post-match had been developed on the training ground, substitute Gary Roberts drilled a ball to George Boyd from the left.

Boyd rose highest to head the ball down and from six yards, Chris Blackburn took the deftest of touches before rifling home from an acute angle to restore England's lead.

The night got even better for England on 85 minutes after a fantastic move down the left.

Boyd sent Roberts racing down the left and the Accrington player delivered a wonderful cross to the far post where Mackail-Smith, a half-time substitute, rifled home to the delight of the vocal home crowd of 3,025

England:

Schwan Jalal (Paul Jones - 86mins), Chris Blackburn, Tamika Mkandawire, Kieran Charnock, David Perkins (captain), Carl Baker (Craig Mackail-Smith), Michael Carr (David Bridges - 62mins), Ian Craney, George Boyd, Jon Shaw (Gary Roberts - 55mins), Andy Bishop (Ryan Austin - 86mins)