The English got off to a positive start as they saw plenty of the ball in the early stages, but captain Mancienne was given an early warning by the referee as he caught his man in midfield.

There was a touch of nerves in the home side's play, though, as they knew what was at stake for their side.

With eight minutes gone, it twice needed the intervention of Blackburn's Phil Jones to prevent the tricky Novokovas from getting a shot away.

And two minutes later, the home side really should have taken the lead. Bertrand sent over a dangerous cross and Sturridge took a touch before dragging his shot wide when well placed.

Sturridge drew a foul on ten minutes that saw the right back Klimiavicius booked, before Eliosius followed him in for another niggly foul not long afterwards.

England had a half shout for a penalty as the quarter hour mark approached, as Walker burst into the box only to have his run checked. The referee had little interest in giving the decision though.

Tottenham player Rose was having the most joy down the left, often beating his full back and getting crosses into the danger area.

But nerves continued for England as Smalling and Jones allowed the ball through to Eliosius, who passed to Zulpa. Again well placed, he lifted his shot over the bar.

They needed a lift from somewhere, and Welbeck was trying his best to provide it as he twice won important tackles as he tracked back to cover.

They won a corner on 26 minutes that Jones got to, but he buried his effort into the ground and the keeper was happy to watch it skip over the crossbar and land on the roof of the net.

Captain Mancienne then took things into his own hands by slipping past his man and driving in a shot that forced a good save out of the sprawling Cerniauskas.

There was a sense that the home side were starting to get up a head of steam, and Zulpa became the third person to go into the book for a foul on the marauding Walker as the half hour mark arrived.

From the free kick, England played it short and Sturridge's footwork saw him weave past two before setting up Rose, who blazed over under pressure.

The fans had seen enough to encourage them as England ramped up the pressure, and continued their rise into the ascendancy.

But the nerves returned as Fielding let a Novikovas free kick slip through his grasp and he was relieved to see it come back off the post and into his arms.

The referee had been pretty keen to get his cards out and booked Jones for a foul as half time approached.

Jack Wilshere was introduced at half time as England looked to get that crucial goal, and the Arsenal midfielder was seeing plenty of the ball after being put into the side.

England came close again not long after the restart, the home side moving the ball across the area before Rose's effort was deflected over. Cleverly then skipped inside and forced a fine save from the keeper.

The Three Lions were forcing a series of corners early in the second half, and went as close as they had all game five minutes after the restart. Again Rose skipped past his man and drove in a shot that went wide of the far post.

Next up, a quick one two on the edge of the box set Sturridge in on goal, but the keeper got down well to save his shot low to his right.
The resulting corner was swung into the danger area by Cleverly and, after Smalling had nodded it back into the six yard box, Welbeck couldn't get a clean enough connection to beat the keeper.

And they finally got their noses in front just after the hour mark. Wilshere was the man to set the chance up and Welbeck showed good strength to hold off his man and slot the ball past the keeper into the far side netting.

Despite that, the home side made their first change not long afterwards as they introduced Albrighton for the remaining time in the game.

The substitute made an immediate impression with a lungbursting run down the left hand side, before Wilshere almost provided another golden chance for Welbeck.

England had the ball in the back of the net again not long afterwards, but Sturridge had been flagged for offside before he rounded the keeper and slotted home.

The impressive Welbeck went close again from a corner, flicking a nice header just over the bar as it landed on the roof of the net.

Sturridge came off just after that chance, with Cork coming on for the remainder of the match.

And the substitute watched on as England almost got a second. Welbeck forced his man off the ball and his low cross took a deflection which the keeper juggled with and eventually cleared.

It was temporary respite though as Welbeck got in once again and sent over a low cross across the face of goal that Albrighton met at the far post to slot the ball home.

Albrighton was then left frustrated as he moved over to the left flank to send over a cross which skipped past everyone and went beyond the far post.

And the influential Villa youngster then weaved his way past three before slipping at the crucial moment as he went to cross.

The England side capped their win with a first class goal. Wilshere found himself in a good position at the edge of the box and it was helped on into the path of Welbeck who got himself a deserved second goal.

That was one of the last kicks of the game as England got the result they needed - and as results elsewhere went in their favour, it was a positive visit to north Essex.