ENGLAND suffered a frustrating evening of noughts and crosses at Wembley last night, responding to Croatia's obvious quality with a solid performance which saw several good opportunities created but two goals disallowed in the first half.

Robbie Fowler, in his first full international, put one of the evening's best chances over the bar and late in the game Steve McManaman hit a post with Teddy Sheringham putting the rebound wide.

Fowler's first start to an England game gave the night an unusual air of expectation. Prolific scorers in the league do not always negotiate the step up to international level, Ian Wright being a case in point, but Fowler was never going to fail through lack of confidence.

Croatia had been scheduled to play England at the start of the season but uncertainties in Bosnia delayed their first visit to Wembley by seven months.

Last night their football quickly matched the chequered pattern of their red and white shirts. Their passing was patient and possessive, draughts rather than chess, with space created through careful probing rather than cut and thrust.

In the first five minutes 15 passes produced a dipping long shot from Prosinecki that cleared the bar as a flag was raised for offside. Earlier the ease with which Jarni had slipped past Stone on the left, to find more room than the employment of Neville as a normal right back would have allowed, showed how England's latest defensive plan might be tested.

Gascoigne, running at an oblique angle across the penalty area, ended England's initial caution by giving Stone the opportunity of a centre from the right but nothing came of it.

Fowler's first significant touch was even better. He fooled the defenders with a floated pass which appeared to be going nowhere until Stone popped up with a late run on the right which offered him a clean shot at goal, wasted by shooting too high.

The Croatians, a more settled side, played with ominous composure and control, dominating the midfield and forcing Stone and McManaman into deep, wide positions.

Gascoigne's subtler touches and his ability to surprise defenders became more important to England the longer the game progressed. Otherwise they looked for the quality of cross to put pressure on Mrmic in the Croatian goal.

Midway through the first half between two disallowed goals for England once when Sheringham fouled Mrmic, then when Platt was offside Stone's centre found Jerkan prepared to let the ball sail over his head, allowing Fowler to nip in behind the defender to produce a sharp downward header which Mrmic had to be alert to save.

Soon after this a corner from the left, following yet another accurate centre by Stone on the right, was not cleared and this time Sheringham's overhead shot was pushed wide by an increasingly busy Croatian goalkeeper.

England ended the first half with a further near miss from their most convincing movement of the opening 45 minutes. Gascoigne and Fowler worked the ball out to Stone, who did not cross this time but sent Neville past the outside of the Croatia defence for a telling centre, hard and flat, which Platt met with a resounding header. Mrmic denied England a goal by blocking the ball on the line.

Croatia, however, regained something of their earlier momentum in the second half.

Stanic had replaced Boban whose fitness had been in doubt, and England's defence again found itself under pressure.