England 4-1 Poland

European Championship Qualifier
Hillsborough, Sheffield Wednesday FC
11 October 2005

The England U21s ended their Group Six qualifying campaign in style with a classy victory over their Polish counterparts at Hillsborough.

Newcastle defender Steven Taylor scored a brace, with Carlton Cole - on the eve of his 22nd birthday - and Jerome Thomas also scoring to ensure the Young Lions go into next month's play-off phase brimming with confidence.

Peter Taylor made four changes to the side that lost to Austria at Elland Road on Friday and his team responded with a diligent first half display that proved decisive.

Cole, the dangerous Chelsea marksman, was at the heart of England's endeavour and was deserved of more than just to find the net once and set-up one of Taylor's strikes.

The large Hillsborough crowd were subjected to a whirlwind of attacking football in the opening period, as England took the game to Poland.

After 17 minutes, Cole, having already come agonisingly close to scoring on two occasions shortly beforehand, latched on to an inviting lofted through ball from Portsmouth's Gary O'Neil and beat an advancing Polish goalkeeper with aplomb.

Four minutes later, England moved further ahead. This time Ryan Taylor burst forward down the right-hand side having been played in superbly by Aaron Lennon.

The Wigan defender's low cross missed a host of hopeful recipients, including Cole, only for Jerome Thomas to coolly slot the ball home, in off the far post.

Thomas, a handful for Poland all night, earning only his second cap at this level, then shot wide after being played in by the marauding and sprightly Lennon as England pushed for more.

As the tide turned momentarily, England goalkeeper Scott Carson had to be at his best to turn away a free-kick from Dariusz Dudka.

With eight minutes of the first half remaining, England scored again with Cole involved once more. This time, he took the ball in his stride from Nigel Reo-Coker's pass and, tracked by two defenders, intelligently back-heeled the ball across the front of goal. Steven Taylor, as surprised as the Polish defence, managed to nudged the ball into an empty net.

Two minutes later, Poland added to the excitement with a splendid goal of their own. Right-sided midfielder Marcin Kikut weaved his way through England's defence and crashed the ball past Carson.

That was as good as it got for the visitors as England once again laid siege to their goal in the second half.

Cole, who was deserved at least of a hat-trick, met a Lennon cross shortly before the hour-mark, but his header cannoned back off the foot of a post.

Carson then tipped away another long-range free-kick from Dudka, but Poland were always second best in a game that will give Peter Taylor tremendous encouragement for the future.

James Milner, on as a replacement for Thomas, and Cole could easily have added to England's tally before Poland's Pawel Strak was sent-off for a second bookable offence.

Cole received a rapturous ovation from the crowd late in the came as he made way for Jon Stead, before Steven Taylor ghosted in to side-foot home a splendid right-wing delivery from Gary O'Neil and complete a comprehensive win.

England are amongst the 16 teams that will be paired together on Thursday when the draw is made for the European Championship qualifying play-offs which will be played over two-legs next month.

The eight winning teams from that will then contest the main event to be held in one of the qualifying countries.

Team Details: England 4-1 Poland, Euro U21 Championship Qualifier

England: Scott Carson - Liverpool, Ryan Taylor - Wigan Athletic (Nedum Onuoha, 85), Peter Whittingham - Aston Villa, Steven Taylor - Newcastle United, Anton Ferdinand - West Ham United, Tom Huddlestone - Tottenham Hotspur, Nigel Reo-Coker (capt) - West Ham United, Gary O'Neil - Portsmouth, Carlton Cole - Chelsea (Jon Stead - Sunderland, 87), Aaron Lennon - Tottenham Hotspur, Jerome Thomas - Charlton Athletic (James Milner - Newcastle United, 65).
Subs not used: Lee Camp - Derby County, Curtis Davies - West Bromwich Albion, John Welsh - Liverpool, Luke Moore - Aston Villa.

Goals: Cole 18, Thomas 21, S Taylor 37, 88

Poland: Lukasz Fabianski; Grzegorz Fonfara, (Grzegorz Wojtkowiak, 64) Antoni Lukasiewicz (capt), Dariusz Dudka Blazej Telichowski; Marcin Kikut, Sabastian Szalachowski, Marcin Burkhardt, Pawel Strak; Korol Gregorek (Lukasz Tralka, 82), Marcin Klatt. (Stawomir Peszko, 46)
Subs not used: Cierzniak, Kucharski, Rzezniczak, Pzizga.

Goals: Kikut 39

Attendance: 23,110

Referee: Mikko Vuorela (Finland).