Norway 0-1 England: Winning start for Roy Hodgson

And Hodgson saw many positives in the display.

“It was a great start for us to win here in Norway,” he said. “We had three days’ tough training and I was a bit concerned about the fatigue factor, with one or two of the players feeling muscles, but that’s because we’ve been working so hard in training. But it’s a fantastic start to my time in charge because it’s not often you get a result in Norway.

“At times we could have been a bit more positive, but that’s something we’ve got to work on. But we’ve started sowing a few seeds and by the time the Euros come around we should have done a bit more work.”

The only concerns for Hodgson were fitness issues for Scott Parker and Gareth Barry.

“Scott’s been OK,” he said. “We wanted to give him a bit longer that 45 minutes but at the moment there’s no reaction.

“Gareth Barry worried me a bit more, he did feel his groin so we’ll have to get that scanned.”

Young is hoping he caught Hodgson’s eye ahead of Euro 2012 after linking up with Andy Carroll in attack. “I think I did all right,” he said. “I took the goal well.

“I’ve just got to keep putting on a performance and we’ll see what happens when it comes to the Euros.

“I think it went well with Andy Carroll. There were a few good combinations between us.”

Young also believes Hodgson’s arrival has had a positive effect.

“We got the win,” he said.

“We’ve only been together with the new manager for a few days but I think it’s gone OK so far.”

Half-time substitute Barry lasted only 26 minutes before making way for stand-by player Jordan Henderson.

Barry had been part of the 2010 World Cup squad when not fully fit and failed to show his best form.

The line-up selected by Hodgson is likely to bear little resemblance to the side which will face France in the Euro 2012 opener in 16 days’ time.

Only Carroll, skipper Steven Gerrard, Scott Parker and Young are near certainties to play in Donetsk and the entire back five will probably change. But there were still encouraging signs for Hodgson, who maintained the record of no England manager losing their opening game since Alf Ramsey in 1963.

Young looked sharp and confident in the second striker role and showed encouraging signs in tandem with Carroll.

Parker looked to be suffering no ill-effects from his Achilles problem and dictated and bossed the midfield in his 55 minutes of action.

Centre-back Joleon Lescott also staked his claim to have a major role in Hodgson’s plans with a commanding performance.

Hodgson handed striker Carroll his first start for 14 months in a line-up which showed seven changes from the side which started against Holland at Wembley in February.

Gerrard skippered the side for the 16th time – but the first as official England captain.

Carroll threatened the first moment of danger when he got on the end of a left-wing cross from Stewart Downing but headed wide under pressure from Norway skipper Brede Hangeland.

After nine minutes the sharp-looking Young broke the deadlock. Carroll played the ball to the Manchester United winger, who turned past Hangeland before firing a low shot past Rune Almenning Jarstein into the far corner of the net.

Norway retaliated and Robert Green reacted well to parry aside a rising shot from Markus Henriksen which deflected off Leighton Baines.

But the West Ham keeper was relieved when the resulting inswinging corner from Blackburn midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen struck the near post.

England looked the more dangerous and Norway were again stretched when James Milner broke down the right and, after cutting inside, he forced Jarstein to save at his near post.

Gerrard was spoken to by German referee Michael Weiner shortly before half-time after showing his studs in a challenge on Tom Hogli, who was substituted and replaced by Espen Ruud.

The Liverpool player was booed by Norway fans for the remainder of the half and did not start the second half – as indicated by Hodgson on Friday. Barry came on and took over the armband until his early exit.

Young was quickly back into his stride after the break and earned a free-kick on the edge of the box after being fouled by Vadim Demidov.

Baines’ free-kick flew right through the defensive wall and forced a fine low save by Jarstein away to his left.

John Arne Riise continued to look Norway’s most dangerous player and he skipped past substitute Theo Walcott before forcing Green to parry out a near post drive.

Hodgson gave debuts to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Martin Kelly in the closing stages as England held on with relative ease.