Terrific Townsend points the way to Brazil as Roy's boys stay in box seat for World Cup on a nervy night.

Well, what a lovely evening. We must do it again. Next Tuesday, in fact. Same place, same outcome.
Only then can Roy Hodgson’s World Cup mission be a qualified success. Beat Poland at Wembley in four days time and England will have confirmed their berth in Brazil. Anything less and play-off drama awaits.
Ukraine will beat San Marino, we can presume that. So this remains a job only half done. Efficiently done on the night, in the end, after a nervous first 45 minutes, and England were well worth their victory.

Super strike: Andros Townsend scores England's third goal on his international debut

Even so, there is no room for complacency. Montenegro’s 71st-minute goal proved that. The visitors were as good as out when, suddenly, a Dejan Damjanovic touch, and the match was very much live again. By the same token all Poland have to play for now is the kudos of messing England up at Wembley a second time. Remember 1973? Hodgson’s players must be every bit as spirited as they were to secure this, a first win in four attempts over Montenegro.
Hodgson, at last, gambled, and won. His may have come to Andros Townsend late — there was an equally compelling case to have played him in Kiev last month — but it was a bold decision, certainly having also decided to omit Jack Wilshere from midfield.
And Hodgson was vindicated. Not just by the result, but by Townsend’s performance. He gave England an aggressive out ball on the right, he scored a wonderful third and his thrust helped create the all-important first goal. That it came only three minutes into what promised to be a very nervous second half, with Ukraine’s result already known, was greatly to England’s benefit.
Townsend sped down the flank from inside his own half and hit a cross which was deflected, more than headed, out — but only to the feet of Danny Welbeck. He shot and Montenegro goalkeeper Vukasin Poleksic parried, but Rooney was first to the ball. He controlled it well under pressure and finished superbly, to Hodgson’s obvious delight.
And then a bit of luck — at both ends. Welbeck’s cross looked harmless enough for Montenegro until, in attempting to clear, Branko Boskovic diverted the ball into his own net. Goalkeeper Poleksic looked close to tears.
Fury would better have described England’s Joe Hart, nine minutes later, when with the contest seemingly off, a moment of ill fortune for England sparked it back to life. Substitute Fatos Beqiraj had a shot from range and Damjanovic looked marginally offside as he stuck out a foot to divert it into England’s goal. Suddenly, nerves were jangling again. Hodgson’s hero of the night steadied them with 12 minutes remaining.

Celebration: Townsend can't hide his delight following his wonder goal

Sealed the points: Townsend runs off in celebration after his goal

Lining it up: Townsend lines up the shot and rifles it into the corner

We have lift-off: Wayne Rooney (No 10) scores England's opening goal from close range

Crucial strike: Rooney puts England ahead with a scuffed finish

Daniel Sturridge did the donkey work, mopping up the loose ball 30 yards from the Montenegro goal, but it was Townsend, confident and fearless on his international debut, who performed an act of sporting alchemy. He collected from Sturridge and motored, veering right at the last moment before beating Poleksic at his near post.
The victory appeared even more emphatic when Sturridge converted from the spot in added time having been brought down by Ivan Kecojevic. But don’t let the scoreline fool you.
Tense, tense, tense. The mood of the night was etched on Hodgson’s face as he watched the first 45 minutes slip away without a breakthrough. He had expected to lead by now, one could almost sense it.
His words on the eve of the game spoke of a man who sensed his players had too much for the opposition. The injured full backs aside, this was his team, playing his way, and Montenegro were greatly reduced. It looked like it, too. England had all the possession, all the chances, all the pressure. It dribbled away to nothing.
From Kiev, bad news. A goal from Andriy Yarmolenko separated Ukraine and Poland and meant the former were all but certain to take the maximum of six points from their final two games, considering the last fixture is against San Marino.

Roy's relief: Hodgson shows what Townsend's goal means to him

Slice of luck: Branko Boskovic (left) looks on as his own goal trickles in to make it 2-0 to England

Worth a shot: Andros Townsend has an effort on goal

Back in it: Dejan Damjanovic (left) scored to pull a goal back for Montenegro

Spot on: Daniel Sturridge scores England's final goal

Jumping the hurdle: Leighton Baines tries to get between two Montenegro defenders

If the first half had been nail-biting, the second promised to be close to unwatchable. And England’s players would know only victory could leave them with a prayer of winning the group.
The nerves in front of goal suggested they were only too aware what was at stake. Shots blazed wide or over, good chances wasted, wrong decisions made. England had got into several useful positions without greatly testing stand-in goalkeeper Poleksic.
He had been called into action twice. The first occasion came after 23 minutes when Leighton Baines fed Welbeck inside on the left and the Manchester United man had a shot from an acute angle at close range blocked. The second was rather more speculative —  Steven Gerrard trying his luck from outside the area, curling one in trademark style only for Poleksic’s outstretched hand to force it round.
The rest of England’s opportunities did not require such steadfast Montenegrin resistance. The moment Gerrard shot over after 19 minutes, the thought occurred that there could be some rather skittish footballers out on Wembley’s slippery surface.
Indeed, even prior to kick-off the portents were not good. Wind, persistent rain, strange dark patches on the pitch from a recent NFL encounter. It reminded one of nothing more than the night Croatia eliminated England from the 2008 European Championship.

Head in hands: Rooney reacts after missing a golden opportunity

Off target: Gerrard attempts a shot which went well over

Eyes on the ball: Gerrard marshals Branko Boskovic

At least early calamity was avoided. Indeed, a 14th-minute shot by Stevan Jovetic was so poor it almost lulled the home crowd into a false sense of security, speaking of a paucity of ambition from the visitors.
It is true that they came for a draw — and with the injuries they were carrying it was almost understandable — and that the quality in the home defence far outweighed the threat of Montenegro’s attack. But it still required England to finish the job with the ball in the net. That proved harder than many, not least Hodgson, imagined.
There were certainly moments of hope. In the 29th minute, Gerrard fed Baines from a corner and his cross was steered just wide by the head of Welbeck. Then a fine burst by Townsend was finished with a slow shot that brought a good save from Poleksic, the ball rebounding out to Rooney, who took the shot himself with Welbeck screaming forlornly for a square pass in the middle.
Soon after, a period of intense England pressure. Welbeck had a shot deflected at a right angle for a corner and, from that, the ball fell to Sturridge unmarked at the far post only for his shot to be powered well wide of the far post. Tense, tense, tense.

Having a go: Stevan Jovetic lines up a shot despite the attentions of Gerrard and Lampard

Fast start: Debutant: Andros Townsend runs with the ball watched by two Montenegro defenders

Doubling up:Townsend tries to escape Montenegro's Vladimir Volkov (No 5)

Nervous: Roy Hodgson looked pensive before kick-off at Wembley