Fryatt fuels English drive

By Andrew Haslam at Mourneview Park

Matthew Fryatt's hat-trick rewarded a tireless and hard-working England display, defeating Serbia and Montenegro in Lurgan and taking his side through to the final of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship.

Friday final
The Walsall FC striker strode clear of a static defence to drive England in front midway through the first half, before adding a second ten minutes from time. Although Nebojša Marinkovic set up a tense finale, Fryatt added a third in added time to round off an impressive team display. England will now play France in Friday's final at Windsor Park in Belfast.

Two changes each
Both coaches made two changes from the sides that won on Saturday to clinch semi-final places, Zvonko Zivkovic introducing Ljubomir Stevanovic and Marko Markovski in the Serbo-Montenegrin defence and attack respectively. Martin Hunter, meanwhile, recalled Tony McMahon at right-back and brought in Richard Jones up front.

Holmes denied
Both sides began enterprisingly as the match began more openly that might have been expected, and England were unfortunate not to be in front as early as the third minute as Lee Holmes won possession in midfield and drove purposefully towards goal, skipping away from Milan Perendija. The forward's powerful left-foot shot beat Aleksandr Jovic but rebounded off the crossbar and the Serbo-Montenegrins survived.

Fryatt first
England continued to enjoy more of the possession, looking more likely to open the scoring, and so it proved in the 18th minute. Grant Leadbitter was a combative presence in the England midfield throughout, and it was his pass that picked out Fryatt in space between the central defenders. The forward duly drove towards goal before sliding a shot past Jovic for his second strike of the tournament.

Narrow escape
England might have doubled that advantage on the half-hour, Holmes curling a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area over the wall and beyond Jovic, but the ball bent just past the left-hand post. Although Hunter was forced to replace Mark Noble with Ryan Jarvis at half-time, his side continued to threaten, with James Morrison a dangerous presence down the right.

Morrison danger
The Middlesbrough FC midfield player sent an angled drive just over before providing a low cross that Fryatt steered wide under pressure from Perendija. At the other end, a left-wing free-kick from Marinkovic was missed by everyone in a crowded penalty area and flashed just past the post.

Fryatt again
With Serbia and Montenegro forced to commit more men forward, extra space opened up and Morrison's clever pass set Fryatt free, but this time the forward pulled his shot wide. He made no such mistake a minute later, however, taking another Leadbitter pass in his stride and, after his first shot rebounded off Jovic, turning the loose ball into the unguarded net.

Frantic finale
Three minutes from time, the Serbo-Montenegrins were back in contention as Marinokvic broke clear inside the area to drive a shot past Martin's left hand, but England survived a fraught few minutes and rounded off a fine performance in added time, Fryatt striding clear again to beat Jovic for the third time.