Trinidad & Tobago 0 England 3: Double tonic for Defoe but Ashton goes flat

England, and in particular David Beckham, did their bit here last night, entertaining Jack Warner and his countrymen with a clinical display.

For the players hoping to earn Fabio Capello's vote, however, it was not quite the landslide victory some of them would have wanted.

Not for Dean Ashton, anyway.

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Defoe had a better night than his strike partner Ashton

After waiting the best part of two years for another opportunity to impress in an England shirt, injury having denied him a first cap in Steve McClaren's first game as manager, Ashton had a frustrating night at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Hooked after 45 minutes, he was nothing like the striker who so excelled for West Ham in an FA Cup Final.

Nothing like the striker Capello no doubt hoped to see. A partner for Wayne Rooney?

Ashton will be lucky if he ever pulls on an England shirt again. What made matters worse was the fact that it took Peter Crouch four minutes to do something Ashton never managed in the entire first half.

He met a David Bentley cross with a perfect knockdown that Jermain Defoe was only too happy to convert for his second goal of the evening.

Gareth Barry scored England's first, and his first international goal, on a night when he again demonstrated his value not only to the team but to Steven Gerrard.

The Liverpool captain returned to a more central role last night and how he prospered in the company of the defensively-minded Barry, who was given the skipper's armband by Beckham during the half-time interval.

Last night, however, one player must have caught Capello's eye more than most.

Stewart Downing was excellent on the left flank, creating England's first two goals with some super passing.

Barry nips in to open the scoring

The locals were certainly excited by the appointment of Beckham as captain. The teams were read out by the match announcer in numerical order but one name was left until last. 'And starting at number seven, David Beckham.'

A huge roar followed, only the announcement of Peter Crouch's name among England's substitutes spoiling the party mood for a brief moment.

The people of Trinidad and Tobago have not forgotten how Crouch pulled Brent Sancho's hair at the last World Cup, and he was booed and jeered as a consequence.

The atmosphere was nevertheless wonderful. What you might call jumping here in Port-of-Spain.

The calypso band that were positioned under the huge scoreboard set the rhythm and the footballers did their best to play to the beat.

It was always going to be difficult for a Trinidad side selected largely from a squad of players who represent local clubs to compete with their illustrious visitors, but when Kenwyne Jones went off on a stretcher inside the first 10 minutes after a collision with David James, their chances of victory pretty much disappeared.

The Soca Warriors had lost their most dangerous weapon.

Time, instead, for the supporters to forget their team and cheer for Beckham.

Even in the intense heat, England dominated, not least down Trinidad's right wing, where Sunderland's Carlos Edwards and Kern Cupid of W Connection proved no match for Downing and Wayne Bridge.

Two balls from Downing in four first-half minutes produced two neatly-taken goals.

The first, a real beauty, sent Bridge clear, the Chelsea full back then finding Barry with a cross the Aston Villa captain had little trouble converting.

The second pass was just as impressive, the Middlesbrough winger presenting Defoe with an opportunity to make amends for a poor display against the U.S.A. last Wednesday.

Defoe's first touch and finish were not brilliant but he did enough to beat Clayton Ince.

Such a lead after 16 minutes probably wasn't part of the plan when this charm offensive was launched but against opposition of this quality it was hard for England not to score.

Trinidad struggled to respond, their best chance of the first half falling to their replacement for Jones.

Downing was impressive throughout

Darryl Roberts is currently 'unattached' and his effort is unlikely to attract potential suitors. Not that Ashton was much better.

Beckham picked him out with a quite brilliant 40-yard ball but Ashton opted for the volley which floated meekly over Ince's crossbar.

Changes were made at the break: Bentley for Beckham, Crouch for Ashton and international debuts for Joe Hart and Phil Jagielka as replacements for James and Rio Ferdinand.

It did nothing to loosen England's grip on this friendly and Defoe increased the lead in the 49th minute thanks to Bentley and Crouch.

Further experiments then followed, Capello removing Downing to take a look at Ashley Young. Again, it continued to look easy.

For everyone, that is, except Ashton.