The People

A Bit Lucky, to Be Frank ; Lamps Spot On but Ref Boobs with Penalty

FRANK LAMPARD celebrates putting England one up from the penalty spot - but he had a Swede called Eriksson to thank! Referee Jonas gave England a dubious spot-kick when Wayne Rooney fell inside the box and Lamps made no mistake to put England on the way to an unconvincing victory at Wembley.

You've Got to Go with Defoe! ; Fabio has to Sit Up and Take Notice As Red-Hot Jermain Scores Again

JERMAIN DEFOE'S hot scoring streak for the Three Lions continued against Slovenia - but Fabio Capello couldn't hide his disgust at England's defending just four days before World Cup D-Day. Spurs star Defoe's in such hot form that if Capello, left, was picking his squad today the striker would be in the team, not just the travelling party.

Bilic's Home Discomforts

SLAVEN BILIC says the pressure is off Croatia on Wednesday - as the boys from the Balkans bid to prove at Wembley why they are one of the world's topranked sides. England's opponents are ranked ninth by FIFA, just two places below Fabio Capello's team, as they bid to repeat their 3-2 win in 2007 which cost England a place at Euro 2008 - and Steve McClaren his job.

Fabio's Pick 'N Mix ; All Slo Painful As Capello Struggles: To Weed Out Weakest Links in Time for Finals

SHOULD England qualify for the World Cup finals on Wednesday night, you are going to have to sit through an awful lot of tub- thumping nonsense about how we are going to go and win the thing. None of it, though, will come from Fabio Capello - a man who, let's face it, is just about as far removed from the barmy old days of Kevin Keegan as you could ever wish to get.

Robin Shows a Dutch of Class

Things Won't Be so Jolly Without the Wally and His Brolly ; Niko: Fabio's Fliers Are Raining Supreme

NIKO KRANJCAR fears Croatia could be sunk at Wembley on Wednesday instead of singing in rain Two years ago, as then England manager Steve McClaren sheltered beneath an umbrella, Kranjcar's brilliant display in a London rainstorm earned his country a 3-2 win - to rob the Three Lions of a place at Euro 2008. But the Tottenham midfielder says the Croats will settle for a DRAW on this week, when victory would clinch England's place in South Africa next year.

My Italian Job Really Needed Special Agent

WHEN the transfer window closed this week, it seemed the boys at Sky Sports News were desperate for excitement. A major move with an element of intrigue or farce might have been handy - such as when Alex Ferguson personally cabbied Dimitar Berbatov to Old Trafford last year to keep him out of Manchester City's clutches.

Nearly Man Cahill to Cash In

GARY CAHILL will hit the jackpot when he wins his first England cap - with Bolton Wanderers ready to give him a pounds 100,000 reward. Centre-half Cahill was given a surprise invitation to link up with Fabio Capello's squad for the Balkans double header after several impressive displays for his club.

League Two

Aldershot 2 Hereford 2 MARVIN MORGAN went from villain to hero as Aldershot staged a late fightback.

That's Rich Pickings

Notts Co 1 Burton 1 RICHARD WALKER came off the bench to earn Burton a late point. Karl Hawley put the Magpies ahead in the 54th minute, but Walker struck to leave Ian McParland's men with just one win in their last four League outings.

League One

So'ton 0 Colchester 0 ADRIAN BOOTHROYD took a point in his first game in charge of Colchester, despite his side playing 55 minutes with 10 men. Saints dominated early on and should have been ahead in the 17th minute, but Matt Paterson's prod past Colchester keeper Ben Williams was booted off the line by Magnus Okuonghae.

Go Grella ; It's Us of Slay As Mike Keeps Leeds Marching On

Leeds 2 Stockport 0 IT was all too simple for Simon Grayson's Leeds as American striker Mike Grella put them on the way to a Yankee dawdle of a victory. New Yorker Grella hit his first league goal for the Elland Road outfit in just the ninth minute and there was no way struggling Stockport could stop them clocking up a sixth straight win.

All O-Kay for Ace Antony

MK Dons 2 Huddersfield 3 ANTONY KAY scored a late winner as Huddersfield moved up to third after edging a five-goal thriller.

Phil Can Shelve His Fear for Now

Charlton 2 Brentford 0 PHIL PARKINSON saw Jonjo Shelvey inspire Charlton's sixth consecutive league win - then taunted Chelsea, saying: You can't get him until 2011.

Catch a Match

Even Stevie C Can't Stop Rot

THERE was no happy homecoming for Steve Claridge on his return to Weymouth yesterday, as they were thumped 5-1 by Bromley. The 43-year-old, who has come out of retirement to try to galvanise his former club, could not stop the rot as the Terras crashed to their fourth home defeat in five games.

Gateshead Drama

It's Mass Harmonia ; Burley Boys Unite for Vital Win

JAMES McFADDEN sealed the victory which keeps Scotland's World Cup dream alive - and George Burley in a job. Defeat against Macedonia would have meant the end of the line for the Scotland manager as well as his team's hopes of going to South Africa next summer.

Fad Sees Red Over Yellow

GUTTED goal-hero James McFadden last night blasted the decision that rules him out of the decisive midweek clash with Holland. The Birmingham City ace sealed a 2-0 victory over Macedonia with the crucial second after Scott Brown's opener.

Fabio's Pick 'N Mix ; All Slo Painful As Capello Struggles: To Weed Out Weakest Links in Time for Finals

SHOULD England qualify for the World Cup finals on Wednesday night, you are going to have to sit through an awful lot of tub- thumping nonsense about how we are going to go and win the thing. None of it, though, will come from Fabio Capello - a man who, let's face it, is just about as far removed from the barmy old days of Kevin Keegan as you could ever wish to get.