England 4-0 Romania

Sixfields Stadium, Northampton
7th November 2002

England finished off a fantastic few days with another convincing victory against Romania in Northampton.

A full house at Sixfields were treated to a lesson in finishing by Ciaran Donnelly, who hit all four goals. He was assisted tremedously by his team mates and in particular the set piece expertise of David Bentley.

The opening minutes of the match saw a slow start for both sides, unusual for England, and Edward Johnson in particular, who has been on the score sheet in the first minute in the last two matches.

Stuart Baxter's side were looking to add to the twelve goals scored in those games and to also keep a clean sheet for the third match in a row.

Lee Camp was between the posts on this occasion and he was the first 'keeper to get a touch on the ball, as the Romanians pushed forward early on.

England's first chance didn't arrive until the 11th minute, as David Bentley produced a deep cross from near the right hand corner flag. 

Jerome Watt was on the end of it but in controlling the ball the Blackburn Rovers player lost his balance and the ball bounced agonisingly in front of him before Banica in the Romanian goal gathered it.

The hard-working John Welsh then found space to skip through a couple of challenges on the edge of the area but his weak shot struck a defenders legs and flew away to safety.

Watt again went close as he got into a good position running on to a through ball. However, in clearing the advancing keeper he lifted his shot too high and the ball floated agonisingly over the crossbar.

Lee Croft, so influential on Tuesday against Moldova, should have done better after benefiting from a defensive slip. However, his first touch allowed the goalkeeper get a touch on the ball and drive him wide. His attempted centre was then headed clear after the 'keeper again touched to slow the ball down.

The Romanians reminded England that they could be dangerous on the break just after the half hour mark. Velcoui broke down the left and his low centre was met by Florescu, but his first time shot cannoned off a defender to safety.

England were by that stage edging the possession and chances, being awarded a succession of free kicks in advanced areas. It was from one of these that they took lead in the 35th minute.

Bentley swung in the free kick from the left and the ball fell to Ciaran Donnelly who stroked the ball home from close range.

Only a minute later the lead was doubled and it was the Blackburn Rovers midfielder who found the net again. Bentley, who was looking strong up-front for England, again centred the ball, this time from the right edge of the area. Pablo Mills got a flick to the ball with his head and it fell on to the toe of Donnelly who directed the ball past the helpless Banica in the Romanian goal.

The Ewood Park youngster and his midfield partner Welsh were gaining increasing control of the middle of the park, but it was Donnelly that was taking all the glory.

That glory was further enhanced when he completed his hat-trick three minutes before the break and this time it was a screamer. He struck the ball beautifully from 25 yards, beating the 'keeper's despairing dive. He then set off on his third celebratory run in only 8 minutes!

The former member of Dick Bate's successful Under 16 side will remember this night for some time. Seldom does a midfielder score a hat-trick, but one in the space of 8 minutes is almost unheard of and shows that Graeme Souness' young prodigy has a real eye for goal.

The apparent one-man show continued in the second half as Donnelly headed his and England's fourth goal of the game, again from a free kick by Bentley. An 18-minute quartet of goals from a midfielder, he'll be checking the record books when he gets home no doubt!

By this stage the other players would have been forgiven for searching for Donnelly every time they got the ball, but Johnson was also in a purple patch and was looking for his third goal in as many games. He had what looked an unstoppable shot exquisitely saved by Banica in the Romanian goal. It seemed that on this day, no one other than Mr Donnelly was allowed to score!

After 67 minutes though, England coach Baxter felt that Donnelly had done enough for one night and replaced him with Matthew Gardner. Not surprisingly, the man of the match left to a standing ovation from the 6,019 crowd and even less of a surprise was the huge smile across his face as the England coaching staff congratulated him.

A few minutes later a cleverly worked free kick by Bentley found the recalled Marcel McKie peeling off the wall, but his powerful low shot was deflected past his near post by the busy Banica.

The final quarter of an hour failed to yield any further excitement, but by that stage the England team were comfortably knocking the ball around, happy with a goal difference of plus sixteen and three clean sheets in the past five days. 

Stuart Baxter said after the match; "We adjusted extremely well in the first 15 minutes tonight, and the players easily adapted. After the first goal I don't think there was anyway that they could have caught us.

"It's been a very satisfying tournament, 16 goals in 3 games is excellent. We have given three very creative performances, for a team that has been thrown together they have really bonded well, in a typically English way"

Matt Cook

England: 13 Lee Camp, 2 Justin Hoyte, 5 Pablo Mills, 6 Liam Ridgewell, 3 Marcel McKie, 8 John Welsh, 4 Ciaran Donnelly, 7 Lee Croft, 10 David Bentley, 9 Edward Johnson, 15 Jerome Watts
Substitutes: 1 Luke Steele, 12 Matthew Gardner, 14 Steven Schumacher, 11 Anthony McNamee, 16 Peter Whittingham, 17 Matthew Kilgallon, 18 Tommy Wright

Goals: Donnelly 35, 36, 43, 53

England Under 19s Fixtures and Results