ENGLISH SLO BUT STEADY; Defoe-inspired win sets Lions up for Croatia.

Byline: MAT KENDRICK

WEMBLEY warmed up for England's imminent World Cup qualifi-cation with a win - but they will have to raise their game against Croatia after letting their standards slip against Slovenia.

Wayne Rooney plunged himself into the recent controversy about playing for penalties by winning a soft first-half spot kick for Frank Lampard to put the Three Lions in front at the interval. Super sub Jermain Defoe made it five goals from three second half appearances on the hour mark before Zlatan Ljubijankic scored a late consolation for Slovenia.

It was role reversal for England's Villa contingent as Capello named his strongest available side ahead of Wednesday's potential qualification-clincher against Croatia.

While James Milner and Ashley Young are automatic starters for their club and Emile Heskey currently warms the bench the opposite seems to be true for their country.

Heskey was given the nod up front despite increasing competition from Defoe and he threatened through the middle early on, although he was clearly offside.

The targetman's momentum caused him to collide with Slovenia stopper Samir Handanovic and given his habit of international injuries he was relieved to shake off the slight knock.

Path There seemed to be no ill effects when Heskey rose to head into the path of Rooney who skipped past two challenges only for Miso Brecko to recover well with a timely goal-line block.

It was Rooney's second chance in quick succession having snatched at a snapshot from Glen Johnson's cross and soon he was involved in the game's most controversial moment.

At a time when diving is being demonised Rooney appeared to go down far too easily under the challenge of Bostjan Cesar during a flashpoint which earned England a penalty on the half hour mark.

To add insult to injury the former Albion defender, who seemed to have his shirt pulled by Rooney, was booked and hobbled off hurt while Frank Lampard buried the spot-kick in the bottom left corner.

By then the Three Lions had rattled the woodwork when a towering John Terry header from a corner bounced back off the bar and after the opener Rooney struck the far post when he really should have scored.

Heskey ought to have found the target too when Rooney found space down the right but although his cross found the claret and blue battering ram's head, his effort lacked power and direction and drifted wide.

Gerrard, whose sublime outside of the foot ball led to the debatable penalty, also came close after striding forward and sent a strike flashing just past the post.

Edged Although England edged the first half and were worthy of their interval lead, Robert Koren's Slovenia could count themselves unlucky not to have scored themselves after causing plenty of problems down the left.

Robert Green got lucky when he clearly handled outside the box and then watched helplessly as Milivoje Novakovic waltzed past him from Zlatko Dedic's defence-splitting pass, only to blaze over from close range.

Milner and Michael Carrick came on for Gerrard and Lampard at the break but it was Shaun Wright-Phillips and Heskey's replacements Aaron Lennon and Defoe who lit up the second half. Defoe continued his scorching scoring run just after the hour mark when he exchanged passes with his Tottenham team-mate before firing a fine finish inside the left hand post via a slight deflection.

Lennon then burst down the right to tee up Rooney for a lazy strike which was hacked off the line by Matej Mavricrozic before the Old Trafford talisman threatened with an audacious dipping volley from 40 yards.

For all their attractive approach play, the Slovenians seemed to lack a cutting edge and Nejc Pecnik missed a good headed chance after Green punched away Koren's free-kick from their only other second-half opportunity.

But Matjaz Kek's team, who still have a strong chance of qualifying for South Africa themselves, grabbed a deserved consolation five minutes from time when Ljubijankic nodded in at the near post after Pecnik exposed the weakness down England's right.

ENGLAND (4-4-2): Green; Johnson, Upson (Lescott 64), Terry, A Cole; Wright-Phillips (Lennon 46), Lampard (Carrick 46), Barry, Gerrard (Milner 46); Rooney (C Cole 80), Heskey (Defoe 46). Subs not used: Foster, Brown, Bridge, Beckham, Cahill, Young, Robinson, Crouch.

SLOVENIA (4-4-2): Handanovic; Brecko, Suler, Cesar (Mavric 35), Jokic; Birsa (Komac 65), Radosavljevic (Krhin 77), Koren, Kirm (Stevanovic 77); Dedic (Pecnik 71), Novakovic (Ljubijankic 56). Subs not used: Seliga, Zlogar, Ilic, Dzinic.

STAR MAN: Jermain Defoe.

ROBERT GREEN Lucky to get away with handling the ball outside his area but looked comfortable enough. 5 GLEN JOHNSON Made some spirited runs down the right flank but left some yawning gaps in defence. 6 ASHLEY COLE Demonstrated to Johnson how to attack and defend as a full-back. A fine performance again. 7 STEVEN GERRARD Was relatively quiet but could have got on the scoresheet with one of his longrange efforts. 7 MATTHEW UPSON Competent enough alongside John Terry and showed he was a danger at setpieces.

7 JOHN TERRY As efficient as ever at the heart of the defence. Hit the crossbar from a corner with a fine header. 8 SHAUN WRIGHTPHILLIPS Tried too hard on the right flank. His first touch lacked the class required at this level. 6 FRANK LAMPARD Tucked the firsthalf penalty away confidently and was full of running before being replaced.

7 EMILE HESKEY Was a willing runner in attack but should have done better with the chances that came his way. 7 WAYNE ROONEY Clever, intelligent and always a threat, the United striker was a danger all afternoon. 8 GARETH BARRY Showed some nice touches with an eye for a simple pass, he was always available as an outlet. 8 SUBSTITUTES Joleon Lescott (64). 6 Michael Carrick (45). 6 Aaron Lennon (45). 7 James Milner (45). 6 Jermain Defoe (45). 8 Carlton Cole (79). 6 SLOVENIA Handanovic, Brecko, Suler, Cesar, Jokic, Radosavljevic, Koren, Kirm, Dedic, Birsa, Novakovic.

Subs: Seliga, Komac, Mavric, Stevanovic, Ljubijankic, Krhin, Zlogar, Pecnik, Ilic, Dzinic. REFEREE Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)

CAPTION(S):

JERM CLEANS UP: Jermain Defoe and Frank Lampard score GETTING HIS FOOT IN: England's John Terry blocks a Slovenian shot AERIAL TUSSLE: Wayne Rooney and Slovenia's Miso Brecko go for the ball