Faroe Islands 0-7 England

Nordic U17 Tournament
Fagrilundur Stadium, Kópavogur
03 August 2005

Leicester City striker Ashley Chambers scored a hat-trick as England beat the Faroe Islands 7-0 in the second match of the Nordic U17 Tournament.

Coach Kenny Swain made six changes to the side that beat Finland in such convincing fashion, handing three players their England debuts in the process.

Sunderland defender Michael Kay, goalkeeper Alex Smithies of Huddersfield Town and Arsenal midfielder Mark Randall all appeared for the Three Lions for the first time.

From the start, England dictated the tempo of the game and, though they were often frustrated by some excellent defending from the Faroe Islanders, they were rewarded for their patience with a goal on 14 minutes.

Chambers, playing a year above his age group and making his first start for England at any level, confidently finished off a good team move.

England's early dominance saw them find gaps in the Faroe Islands' defence almost at will and the second goal was not long in coming.

Again it was the livewire Leicester striker who caused havoc in the opposition defence. The 15-year-old weaved his way into the box where he was brought down by the otherwise excellent Jóan Pauli Jacobsen for a penalty which captain Jake Thompson stroked home.

England kept on attacking and went close on a couple of occasions through Everton midfielder Stephen Connor whilst Chambers fired wide with another effort and Randall and Joseph Mills also tested the reflexes of Jacobsen.

After the break the floodgates well and truly opened for England - Jordan Spence started it with a goal two minutes after the break and then Chambers got two goals in three minutes to complete an impressive hat-trick.

Derby County winger Nathan Porritt had only just come on for Jamie Chandler when he found some space down his favoured left-flank. His cross went over everyone in the box but found Kay at the back post and he headed the ball back across the face of goal.

Spence anticipated Kay's intentions and supplied a deft header of his own to beat Jacobsen and put England into a three-goal lead.

Five minutes later Chambers was back and in three scintillating minutes scored two wonderful goals to complete a memorable hat-trick.

First he drilled a shot home from 22 yards and then, two minutes later, he conjured up a magical piece of skill. Receiving the ball in the area, Chambers turned sharply, knocked the ball away from his marker and then rifled a shot past Jacobsen.

Despite a five-goal deficit, the Faroes now enjoyed their best spell of the game but England weren't finished and in the last eight minutes of the game they finished off with further goals from two substitutes.

Karl Ashton, who scored in the match against Finland, was first to a corner as he used his height to head home and then, four minutes from the end, Porritt sealed a convincing win when he cut in from the right wing and slotted a left-foot shot past Jacobsen.

Faroe Is. 0-7 England, Nordic Tournament, Kópavogur, 03 August 2005

Faroe Islands: Jóan Pauli Jacobsen, John Hammer (Rógvi Holm, 78), Heri H. Nesá (Rúnar Lon Jacobsen, 41), Torkil Kollskerm, Ari Samson, Henning Joensen, Johan Ellingsgaard, Filip E. Jacobsen, Rógvi Poulsen (Eli Simonsen, 57), Klæmint Olsen (Vincent Jacobsen, 20), Álvur F. Christiansen (Martin Tausen, 55).
Subs not used: Hans Jørgensen (gk), Rasmus F. Nielsen.

England: Alex Smithies - Huddersfield Town; Kurt Robinson - Ipswich Town (Paul Rodgers - Arsenal, 41), Jordan Spence - West Ham United (Joseph Magunda - Leicester City, 67), Michael Kay - Sunderland, Jake Thompson - Southampton (capt.); Jamie Chandler - Sunderland (Nathan Porritt - Middlesbrough, 41), Matthew Richards - Derby County, Mark Randall - Arsenal; Stephen Connor - Everton (Joshua Wright - Charlton Athletic, 55), Ashley Chambers - Leicester City (Karl Ashton - Derby County, 61), Joseph Mills - Southampton (Lee Hales - West Ham United, 41)
Subs not used: Andreas Arestidou - Blackburn Rovers (gk)

Goals: Chambers 14, 52, 54, Thompson 17 (pen), Spence 47, Ashton 72, Porritt 76

Bookings: Iceland: Henning Joensen Áminning, 22; Rúnar Lon Jacobsen, 50; England: Mark Randall, 7