Women's World Cup qualifier, Uefa Group D: Northern Ireland 0-5 England
A STEP up to the big occasion but also a step too far for Northern Ireland Women, as their England counterparts again inflicted a heavy defeat on them, in front of a packed Windsor Park.
There were plenty of boos from the home supporters among the 15,348 attendance, but only to drown out the celebrations of the visiting fans at each England goal.
Unfortunately there were five of those - two of them from Lauren Hemp, the first a fluke, then a cool finish; one from the excellent playmaker Ella Ann Toone, before she set up the fourth for her fellow midfielder Georgia Stanway, who then forced in a fifth.
Yet there were still many positive aspects from Northern Ireland against one of the top teams in the world, with real spirit shown throughout against full-time opponents.
Neighbours they may be across the Irish Sea, with only one rendition of the national anthem(s) required, and the teams looked very similar as they emerged, with both sides wearing white tracksuit tops.
However, once the hosts showed off their new green tops and shorts, with England's respective elements in white, it was clear the latter are still much better, for all NI's own genuine improvement in recent years.
Home boss Kenny Shiels made two personnel changes from the line-up away to Austria on Friday night: Kelsie Burrows came in on the left of the back three, with Demi Vance pushed out to wing-back in place of Rebecca Holloway, while Joely Andrews was rewarded for her late goal against Austria with a start in midfield instead of Chloe McCarron.
England boss Sarina Wiegmann was able to recall Leah Williamson at centre half, captain on the night and for the future, including at the Euros. She replaced Demi Stokes, while Manchester United's Mary Earps took over in nets from Hannah Hampton.
This 10th meeting of these countries ended the same way as the previous nine, all won by the English, including the reverse fixture last October, which finished 4-0 to the hosts at Wembley.
Lauren Wade was over on the left side of attack, an attempt to restrict the forward forays of Lucy Bronze, four times named in the world team of the year; Vance provided assistance, and even made some decent breaks of her own.
Teenager Andrews was tasked with shadowing Ella Ann Toone, a classic number 10, which proved tricky as the Manchester United player probed in behind her goal-hungry front three.
White was showing well in her attempts to add to her half-century of international goals, but it was Beth Mead who should have opened the scoring in the 10th minute, when Toone and Hemp combined to tee her up, but Sarah McFadden made a superb foot-block.
Rather than 'men against boys' at times this appeared 'women against girls', with England's physical superiority muscling their opponents off the ball. Not always, though, with Julie Nelson holding off Mead, then McFadden brushing White aside to deny her a shooting chance.
Toone was calling the tune, but the bravery and energy of Andrews belied her small stature, as she tackled, tracked, and harried.
English native turned NI legend Rachel Furness was also working well in central midfield, while Simone Magill proved adept at much-needed hold-up play when the ball did get up around the centre circle.
Mostly, though, the hosts had to defend, as anticipated - and they did so superbly, at least before the break, notably McFadden.
Bronze did wriggle into some space to send a left-foot shot narrowly wide, and White did lash to the net after Jacqui Burns parried a fierce drive from Mead, but the Manchester City star was offside.
The goal which did count came after 25 minutes' play, with a huge element of luck involved. Hemp played a clever one-two on the left with Toone, who cut the ball back perfectly, but the number 11 mis-hit her shot only for the ball to loop over Burns and inside the far post.
There were piped chants through the PA system, but the crowd had found their voices in support of the girls in green, and booed loudly when that effort nestled in the home net.
England pushed for a second before the break, but Hemp then White (twice) could not hit the target with headers.
The visitors doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half when Bronze broke through a couple of challenges and squared behind Mead, but Toone was running in just ahead of Andrews and swept confidently to the net.
Wade almost put her name in the history books the next minute, with Andrews finding her smartly on the edge of the box, and the Glentoran attacker swivelled to deliver a left-foot shot which Earps plunged to her left to keep out.
Just before the hour mark Hemp, still playing on the South Stand wing, made it 3-0, Burrows only able to divert a through-ball from Williamson into her patch, and the Manchester City woman skipped round Burns to score.
The brilliant Toone then dribbled in from the left and picked out Stanway for a simple goal. In the 79th minute she netted again, on the stretch after Hemp had headed down a cross-field ball from Millie Bright.
Northern Ireland kept battling, searching for a rare goal against England, but had to settle for Bright narrowly failing to net a sixth in the closing moments.
Northern Ireland (5-3-2): Burns; Magee (Hamilton, 82), Nelson, McFadden, Burrows (McKenna, 75), Vance; Andrews (Caldwell, 75), Callaghan (capt.), Furness (McCarron, 61); Wade (K McGuinness, 61), Magill.
England (4-3-3): Earps; Bronze, Bright, Williamson (capt.), Carter (Daly, 65); Stanway (Nobbs, 86), Walsh, Toone; Mead (Parris, 71), White (England, 65), Hemp.
Referee: Riem Hussein (Germany).
Attendance: 15,348.
