Ferdinand strike puts England in command

LES FERDINAND filed England's first choice striking role with aplomb last night when he took just seven minutes to get on the score sheet. England dominated the first half and gave a gritty performance in the second to deservedly beat fellow Euro `96 finalists Bulgaria in a friendly at Wembley.

The only goal of an absorbing match watched by a disappointing crowd of 29,000 came after seven minutes when Les Ferdinand chested down a superb 30 metre pass from man of the match Teddy Sheringham to fire past Bulgarian captain and goal keeper Borislav Mihailov, winning his 91st cap.

The Newcastle striker, ironically suffering his first Tyneside lean patch since his move from QPR also hit the post as he formed a good partnership with Sheringham. Venables bowed to pressure from some sections of the crowd by giving Liverpool's Robbie Fowler his debut, removing Ferdinand, Sheringham and Paul Gascoigne in a triple 76th minute substitution.

England ended up just hanging on to their win. Bulgaria had the ball in the net 20 seconds from time, but the goal was disallowed after substitute Daniel Borimirov was adjudged to have handled before Emil Kostadinov scored.

It was a frustrating end to a night which began well for Venables and produced one of the best 45 minutes of his 15 match reign against a team he rates among the top six of this summer's European Championship contenders.

There was no Hristo Stoichkov (officially injured) or Krassimar Balakov and, like many Wembley visitors over the past two years some might question the Bulgarians' commitment.

However, with Steve McManaman having one of his best spells in an England shirt, Paul Ince bringing snap and bite to midfield and Careth Southgate looking assured, England were well in control for the opening half.

Sheringham stooped to head wide from Pearce's 34th minute corner and then the Tottenham playmaker combined brilliantly to release Ferdinand to power clear of Ivanov and Gosho Guintchev. But he pushed too far ahead and Mikhailov came to the edge of his area to clear, a feat he repeated at the feet of Gascoigne moments later.

McManaman showed how to go round him on to yet another inch perfect Sheringham pass, but he overran the ball and was lucky to get a corner. England should have been well ahead by the break, but Mikhailov somehow got his fingertips to Sheringham's snap shot from the edge of the box in the 38th minute. He was beaten in the 44th minute when Ferdinand spun on to McManaman's pass from Gascoigne's half cleared corner, but the shot smacked against the post to safety.

"I'm glad to score at any time, but in the first seven minutes was great," Ferdinand said after wards. It was a great ball from Teddy (Sheringham) and I just had to hold off the defender and stick it away. There's been a lot of things said by some people recently, but it was just nice to get a goal again. That's four goals in nine games, so I've got to be quite pleased with that.

"The whole team played well in the first half, when we could have had five," said Sheringham. "Things went a bit quieter in the second half, but they had to come chasing the game.