Andorra 0 England 3: Gerrard averts Andorran calamity but England remain the unforgiven

The mob in full cry and Steve McClaren with his back against a cold wall. This was brutal. He left the pitch with the chant of "Still want McClaren out" following him down the tunnel. No wonder that before he turned on his heel in the post-match press conference McClaren's voice was cracking with emotion.

The abuse of the England manager was unprecedented for a man in only his ninth game in the job, a historic low that even Graham Taylor, in the commentary box last night, would be entitled to shake his head at in disbelief. The chants built up unremittingly through the match - abusive, personal, aggressive - and even when England's third goal was scuffed into the net by David Nugent in the 90th minute there was an immediate and truculent response from the England support. "Still want McClaren out," beat down from the stands.

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Never have an England team played against a backdrop of such hostility from their own supporters in recent times, even the Turkish fans at the Euro 2004 qualifier in Istanbul in October 2003 seemed friendly in comparison. As John Terry walked across the running track on which Linford Christie won his Olympic gold medal in 1992, he tore his captain's armband off, a look of disgust on his face.

There may be little pride in a victory margin of 3-0 over one of the worst international teams in history but the basic truth was that the disaster was averted. England were drawing 0-0 at half-time and their world was in danger of crashing in before Steven Gerrard's two goals rescued them. The mob have spoken - but how much do they deserve to be listened to?

This was always likely to be a grinding result against a brutal Andorra team who lined up 11 men behind the ball and were lucky to keep all of them on the pitch with some of the challenges they made. The frustration of a World Cup finals, of the previous five games with one goal scored, of the defeat to Croatia, of the draw with Israel. It all came pouring out last night on the England manager and by the end of it he had had enough. His decision to walk out of the press conference after the match was out of character for McClaren, who has previously tried to meet his critics with patience. You could hardly say that he did not have his reasons. Whether it was the pathetic abuse of one tabloid newspaper yesterday or an attempt to avoid the thorny issue of Frank Lampard's availability it has been a hellish nine days for the England manager.

"Gentlemen, write what you want to write," were among his last words and that may yet be an invitation he regrets extending. And for all the abuse that he took it might be the Lampard issue that is the most complicated of all. There were serious suggestions last night that the Chelsea man was dropped, rather than ruled out by injury as McClaren insisted. If it was the former that turns out to be correct then why should the England manager worry about denying it?

Even when his name was read out before the match, McClaren was booed. The Olympic Stadium in Barcelona looked like the kind of decrepit old shell that would make a typical setting for an England disaster and the blustery conditions did them no favours, either. That and the Andorrans' approach to the game. Their sweeper, Antoni Lima, at the centre of a five-man defence, goaded Wayne Rooney mercilessly. It was one of those nights where tempers had to be kept.

As the minutes ticked by, so the desperation grew. Not all of the England fans joined in the booing that echoed around the ground after 20 minutes but it seemed pervasive by the end of the first half. "Are we ever going to score?" the chant begged, and after 45 minutes you wondered whether they had a point. On the pitch you could see the tension, too, as Gerrard dashed about trying to make something, anything, work.

It had become ugly. An England team consumed by nerves, a travelling support who were in revolution. When a Gerrard free-kick from the left floated over the heads of his team-mates and out of play the chant of "There's only one David Beckham" rang out around the stadium. In the 44th minute the chant to the England fans was "You're not fit to wear the shirt". Then "Are you Scotland in disguise?" It goes without saying that the team were booed off at half-time, most of them jogging down the tunnel to get off the pitch as quickly as they could. Some of the Andorrans were punching the air as they left. And well they might, the best half-time score they have escaped with so far in Group E has been 2-0 down.

Those England fans who stayed were rewarded and after 54 minutes came England's moment. A cross from Aaron Lennon, a lay-off from Rooney and Gerrard volleyed low into the corner of the Andorra goal.

McClaren substituted Rooney after 61 minutes, his wisest decision of the night. The striker was rapidly losing his calm, he even seemed to lash out with his boot at the defender Oscar Sonejee. Having earned a booking he is suspended for the game against Estonia on 6 June and was replaced by Jermain Defoe. Micah Richards had to be carried off the pitch after a heavy challenge and left the stadium on crutches.

Gerrard's second goal on 75 minutes was a neat exchange with Stewart Downing and Defoe and then a low shot into the far corner. Nugent stole Defoe's goal on the line in injury-time and the Preston striker will remember the night with fondness. He might well be the only one.

Andorra (4-5-1 ): Alavrez (Balaguer); Ayala (Santa Coloma), Sonejee (FC Andorra), Lima (Eivissa), Escura (Benavent); Bernaus (Elche), Pujol (Santboia), G Garcia (Rangers), Vieira (Eivissa), Ruiz (Rangers); Toscano (Santa Coloma). Substitutes used: Martinez (FC Andorra) for Pujol, 70; Fernandez (Santa Coloma) for Ruiz, 88; Moreno (Eivissa) for Toscano, 90.

England (4-4-1-1): Robinson (Tottenham); Richards (Manchester City), Terry (Chelsea), Ferdinand (Manchester United), A Cole (Chelsea); Lennon (Tottenham) Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Downing (Middlesbrough); Johnson (Everton), Rooney (Manchester United). Substitutes used: Dyer (Newcastle United) for Richards, 61; Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur) for Rooney, 61; Nugent (Preston North End) for Johnson, 79.

Referee: B Duarte Paixao (Portugal).

Booked: Andorra Lima, Toscano, G Garcia, Sonejee; England Rooney, Hargreaves, Cole.

Man of the match: Steven Gerrard.

England man-for-man marking

Paul Robinson

Even in a shocking yellow strip he remained thankfully anonymous, though it is impossible to give a rewarding mark to a goalkeeper who touched the ball only three times all game. 5/10

Micah Richards

England's most accomplished defender and the prominent performer down either flank, and therein lay one of the major problems. A performance out of context with a disconcerting night until his injury. 6

Rio Ferdinand

With defensive duties rarely required it fell to England's centre-halves to show composure and to distribute possession intelligently and accurately. In that respect they failed. 5

John Terry

Poor distribution aside, the ease with which desire gave way to anxiety was alarming in an England captain and he required the release of the opening goal as much as anyone in a white shirt. 5

Ashley Cole

The 3-5-2 system sounds tempting with the personnel at England's disposal and then you witness a display like this from a player essential to the success of that system. Completely ineffectual as an attacking option. 4

Aaron Lennon

Delivered the telling cross that ultimately produced Gerrard's match-winning strike and should have had an assist for Kieron Dyer but too often on the margins of the play. 5

Owen Hargreaves

With a defensive midfielder as much use against Andorra as an opposition goalkeeper this was not a night when his tenacity and simple distribution were attributes for England. 5

Steven Gerrard

Encapsulated the evening. Dominated early on, then overzealous in the tackle and in his passing before perhaps the most important goals of his international career prevented a revolt. 7

Stewart Downing

There is clearly no old-pals' act going on at the Riverside. Brought into the side for the quality of his delivery from the left and did not, despite plenty of opportunity, produce one for his former Middlesbrough manager all night. 5

Wayne Rooney

Targeted by the Andorra defenders from the opening whistle and unbelievably allowed the part-timers to distract his game. Made one valuable assist for Gerrard's opener but is now suspended for the trip to Estonia and, sadly, will not be missed on this form. 4

Andrew Johnson

Fashioned two decent chances out of nothing in the first half, the only England striker to do so all game, but the wait for the Everton man to make his mark at the highest level continues. 6

SUBSTITUTES

Kieron Dyer (for Richards, 61 minutes): Brought more purpose to the England attack having replaced right-back Richards and wasted two excellent openings to embellish the scoreline as McClaren would have wished. 6

Jermain Defoe (for Rooney, 61 minutes): Unlike Tel Aviv, the goalkeeper could not stop his one opportunity to impress. Unfortunately for the Tottenham striker, David Nugent did. 6

David Nugent (for Johnson, 79 minutes): Side-footed a glorious chance wide in the 88th minute, created a good opening for Dyer and confirmed a proud night for Preston by depriving Defoe on the goal-line. Cheeky Scouser. 6

Andy Hunter