Macedonia tame Lions

Steve McClaren's winning streak as Head Coach was brought to an end by a determined Macedonia who celebrated at the final whistle like they had scooped football's greatest prize.

In front of the largest crowd whilst England have been on the road, 72,062, England endured a frustrating afternoon at Old Trafford.

Steven Gerrard typified the mood. Booked for a rash tackle - he will now miss the trip to Croatia - the Liverpool man then rattled the crossbar as England huffed and puffed.

Much was made of a possible switch to 3-5-2 but any plans England Head Coach Steve McClaren may have had of playing a back three were dispelled when Rio Ferdinand, the natural sweeper, injured his back in training. The excellent Ledley King stepped in to fill Ferdinand's considerable boots.

In midfield, Michael Carrick replaced the injured Owen Hargreaves while Wayne Rooney returned to partner Peter Crouch up front.

The capacity Old Trafford crowd roared when Rooney's name was announced over the tannoy, and the mercurial forward showed a few flashes of his talent during the opening exchanges.

The Three Lions started brightly, particularly down the flanks. Ashley Cole and Stewart Downing linked intelligently on the left with the Chelsea man overlapping with pleasing regularity, and one such move brought the game's first corner.

However, it was Macedonia who fashioned the first clear opening, Goran Pandev twisting and turning in the box before firing into the sidenetting. Had the forward with the golden boots taken a more direct approach to goal, rather than switching the ball onto his left foot, then the visitors might have taken a surprise lead.

Michael Carrick was showing his class in possession and one diagonal pass threaded through the congested midfield to the maurauding Gary Neville was as good as anything seen during the first 15 minutes. However, his Manchester United colleague could not deliver a telling cross and Macedonia survived.

Carrick, looking comfortable on his home ground, then sprayed another 40 yard pass out to the right this time for Steven Gerrard, but Macedonia scrambled clear.

The small pocket of Macedonian fans, to the right of the press box, gamely chanted away and their battling team responded, enjoying an extended period of pressure towards the end of the half.

At the other end, Downing dinked a ball over the top to Lampard who had made a trademark late run into the box. The Chelsea midfielder brought the ball down expertly to escape his marker but was thwarted by the alert Jane Nikoloski who rushed off his line to make the important block.

A number of fans were still taking their seats after half-time when England almost went ahead. From Downing's free-kick, Lampard rose highest to head goalwards but Nikoloski made a super save, diving to his right to palm the ball wide.

But cheers turned to jeers a minute later when Gerrard was booked for a tackle from behind. Having been cautioned in Skopje, the Liverpool man will miss the trip to Croatia.

Macedonia were adding some style to the substance they displayed in the first half, going close when Aleksandar Mitreski rose highest and headed over.

The visitors, who looked comfortable on the ball, then broke clear through substiutute Aco Stojkov. Showing King a clean pair of heels, the sprightly Macedonian raced through and forced Paul Robinson into a smart save.

But England responded when Crouch forced another excellent save from Nikoloski. Gary Neville, still goalless after 83 caps, sent the rebound high, wide and ugly.

Crouch went close with another header moments later and the busy forward then set up Rooney with a superbly weighted ball over the top. Rooney's touch took him a little wide and his left-footed shot was well saved.

Cole, who reined in his attacking after a bright opening, was in the right place to ensure Macedonia did not take the lead, clearing off the line after Mitreski had lifted a shot over Robinson.

An afternoon of frustration looked set to continue when Gerrard rattled the bar from 25 yards. After a jinking run from substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips who cut on from the left, Gerrard let fly only to see the ball cannon back off the woodwork.

Crouch went close again, cleverly controlling a high cross before volleying goalwards. Nikoloski, who was unbeatable despite never being totally convincing, swatted the ball away.