Beckham earns record cap in victory

Aston Villa forward Emile Heskey had given Fabio Capello's side an early lead, only to then go off injured, followed by his replacement Carlton Cole.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney headed in a cross from Beckham, who came on after half-time, to make it 2-0 after 70 minutes - with Frank Lampard adding a third and Rooney a fourth in stoppage time as England warmed up in style for next Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.

Heskey's reward for the perseverance that now makes him such a pivotal figure in Capello's blueprint for South Africa 2010 came after just eight minutes when Rooney slipped the first of a series of excellent passes to Steven Gerrard.

Resplendent in a new white shirt, the Liverpool skipper, roaming inside at will from his left-side station, evaded capture with a magnificent drag back before drilling a low cross to the near post.

Martin Skrtel appeared to have the situation under control. Heskey though had sneaked up on his blind side and prodded home his first England goal in almost six years.

Two minutes later it was Rooney delivering the killer ball, a cross right onto the unmarked Heskey's head. To the Aston Villa forward's total disbelief, a feeling shared by a large but not quite capacity crowd, the ball sailed over after he made contact from about four yards.

But it was the half-time arrival of Beckham for his record 109th cap that really got the fans excited. Had an offside John Terry not finished off a Peter Crouch header that was going in anyway, Beckham would have supplied England's second 10 minutes before it actually arrived through a header for Rooney.

England's third arrived when Michael Carrick supplied the pass for Frank Lampard to coolly finish.

And Rooney had the last word, with a delightful chip, to round off a very satisfying evening.