England 2 Hungary 1:THE PLEASURES of football can be mysterious. A 2-1 win over opponents so limited as the current Hungary line-up would normally have appeared humdrum, but England achieved approval as they rallied after conceding the opener, with the captain Steven Gerrard scoring two contrasting goals of equal excellence.

By the end, too, the Arsenal duo of Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere both had first caps for their country. This tricky occasion had been negotiated by spectators and footballers alike.

A mellow summer’s evening posed a challenge. It was directed initially at the Wembley crowd.Those fans did know that anger was expected of them but confined it to the warm-up and were selective about the targets. Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney were booed when the game was about to start, but it was hard to maintain when the incongruity of the exercise was so obvious at a low-key event.

The England side, for its part, at least had the possibility of engaging the supporters’ interest with a burst of enterprise. That idea did look far-fetched in the wake of the plodding football inflicted on the audience in South Africa, but there are players in the ranks who entertained those fans in the qualifiers. Fabio Capello had certainly not disowned them.

He had explained that he would send out a strong line-up at the start. Capello will always have known that the scope for a revamp was restricted and no one was making their debut at the kick-off. The first lesson for the uncapped men on the bench was an exercise in patience.

Briefly Capello’s approach was sound, but the unhappiness of the supporters was renewed as the first half became pedestrian and the scorn was quite loud as the side left the pitch at the interval. By then Hungary, despite standing 62nd in the world rankings, appeared quite secure. There was an initial forcefulness to what was, more or less, a 4-3-3 formation. Rooney was marginally offside as Gerrard put him clear in the third minute, but there was a feeling of intent. It did not last, even if Phil Jagielka, back in the line-up after 16 months, might have scored three minutes later instead of jabbing the ball into the side-netting with his left foot following a corner.

No one could have claimed that Capello was not attempting a new start in the post. The goalkeeper, Joe Hart, for instance, had hitherto been used only as a substitute, and, in a reversal of fortune, Adam Johnson was on the flank even though Capello had thought him too nervous to take to the World Cup. There was an appearance of renewal, but the facts of the match were less comforting as everyone took stock at half-time.

Changes were needed, with debutants in Gibbs and Bobby Zamora being introduced after the interval. Ashley Young and Michael Dawson were brought on as well. The England manager had to balance the aim of making amends to fans with the requirement to prepare for the Euro 2012 qualifiers themselves.

Life appeared easier for the opposition in a sense with virtually no expectations for this fixture that could burden them. Hungary were visibly pleased not to have come to harm with an hour gone. The fixture had grown pedestrian and the real rage came as Hungary took the lead in the 62nd minute. Following a break down the England right, an attempt went beyond Hart and Jagielka was credited with an own goal although it was not entirely sure that his contact with the Hungary cross had gone over the line before Dawson cleared.

If there was a benefit, it lay in the note of authenticity that inevitably comes in difficulties. The England fans may never have guessed that their real excitement would come form witnessing the side draw level with Hungary. After 69 minutes, though, a surge by the Arsenal left-back Gibbs ended with Gerrard lashing home from the edge of the area.

The captain, England’s best player at the World Cup, struck once more four minutes later. He took Young’s ball and spun beautifully to make space before firing home at the near post. A 2-1 lead was not what had been anticipate against supposedly weak visitors, but the Wembley audience was enjoying itself at last.

• Guardian Service

ENGLAND:Hart, Glen Johnson, Jagielka, Terry (Dawson 46), Ashley Cole (Gibbs 46), Barry, Lampard (Zamora 46), Walcott (Young 46), Gerrard (Wilshere 82), Adam Johnson, Rooney (Milner 66). Subs not used: Loach, Cahill, Carlton Cole, Fielding.

HUNGARY:Kiraly, Liptak (Komlosi 55), Vanczak (Laczko 46), Juhasz, Szelesi, Vadocz, Dzsudzsak (Koman 46), Rudolf (Priskin 83), Elek (Toth 59), Gera, Huszti (Hajnal 46). Subs not used: Fulop, Czvitkovics, Vermes. Booked: Rudolf, Laczko, Koman.

Referee:S Lannoy (France)