England 5-0 San Marino: Five-star England cruise

England's Danny Welbeck celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game with teammate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Picture: PA

Scorers: England - Jagielka (24), Rooney (43 pen), Welbeck (49), Townsend (72), Valle (og 77)

The Arsenal defenders were included as manager Roy Hodgson made four changes to the team that lined up in England’s last Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland last month.

Phil Jagielka and James Milner were the other players brought in to start, while uncapped Southampton right-back Nathaniel Clyne was named amongst the substitutes, with Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck leading the attack.

Mirko Palazzi was the sole professional player in the San Marinese defence-minded line-up, which included a ceramics salesman and bar owner.

Sterling was denied by an impressive save from the San Marino goalkeeper as England looked for the opening goal, which arrived in comical fashion from the resulting corner.

Jagielka was the man to score, nodding home his first competitive goal after Simoncini was tripped by team-mate Luca Tosi when attempting to punch clear.

The goal came in the 24th minute - an improvement on the 35 minutes it took England to score on San Marino’s last visit to Wembley two years ago.

Welbeck was frustrated by the excellent reflexes of Simoncini at the other end, although the Three Lions’ second goal soon arrived as Rooney dusted himself down after being clattered by Selva to power home a spot-kick.

Hodgson introduced Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in a bid to up the ante for the second half and it did not take long for the move to bear fruit.

Just four minutes after the restart, the latter burst to the byline and crossed for Welbeck, who turned home from close range to net his 11th international goal.

powerful Oxlade-Chamberlain strike went in off Lallana’s heel - a goal the Liverpool man knew little about. But chalked off for offside.