Hunter lauds Lions

With ten minutes left of England's third and final group match, Norway led 2-1 and seemed certain to be going through as Group B runners-up.

However late strikes from Dexter Blackstock and David Wheater ensured the requisite England victory and their place in the final four.

"It's a terrific result for us, we knew Norway would be a very difficult team to play against," Hunter told TheFA.com.

"They play a style which I haven't seen in international football for quite some time - a bit like the old Wimbledon teams used to play and their 4-5-1 [formation] is difficult to break down.

"We had a plan which we put into action and I was very pleased with the start and then disappointed with the way we conceded the first goal, which came from our mistakes."

With the scores level midway through the first half, it was looking like deja-vu for England, who had gone ahead only to concede and draw both their previous matches.

Hunter continued: "Ryan Jarvis had a couple of chances whilst it was still 1-1 but in the second half they made it difficult by putting an extra defender on so we brought on Dexter and played with four up front, which eventually became five up front.

"Then having gone 2-1 down, you think that's probably your chance gone, but there's fantastic resilience in this team - you'd expect that from an England team - and I'm delighted for the players.

"It was a battle this evening, in the last ten years of international football I've not had a game like that, so it was difficult. But to finish like that and get all three points... I'm delighted for the lads - they've been terrific."

England now face the impressive Group A winners Serbia and Montenegro in Lurgan on Tuesday.

"The semi-final will be a tough game - there's no doubt about that," Hunter said. "But all the players are looking forward to the challenge and we'll see what happens."