Young gifts Hodgson's England a winning start

Roy Hodgson's reign as England manager got off to an ideal start as an early goal from Ashley Young was enough to spur England to victory against Norway in Oslo.

England began with an unfamiliar defensive line and a new attacking pairing in Andy Carroll and Young, and the latter slid home the only goal of the game nine minutes in. Although the visitors could not add to their tally, James Milner and Leighton Baines both tested Norway goalkeeper Rune Jarstein and Phil Jones struck a post, boosting confidence ahead of their final warm-up game against Belgium next Saturday, before Hodgson's men start their UEFA EURO 2012 Group D campaign against France on 11 June.

Norway were served a warning with just four minutes gone when Carroll thumped a header from Stewart Downing's cross just wide. It proved only a temporary respite as the hosts were breached five minutes later, Young driving forward after collecting Carroll's pass and skipping beyond Brede Hangeland before side-footing neatly past Jarstein.

Norway responded immediately as Markus Henriksen almost sneaked a drive inside Rob Green's near post. From the resulting corner, Morten Gamst Pedersen then struck the woodwork directly, with the England keeper stranded.

At the other end, Young volleyed captain Steven Gerrard's lobbed pass over the bar before Carroll over-hit a low cross, failing to take advantage of the goalscorer being completely unmarked in the centre. As England attacked again, Milner was set free on the right, but his low shot was well saved by Jarstein at his near post, with Norway restricted to fruitless long-range efforts in the first period.

Immediately after the restart, left-back Baines forced Jarstein into an excellent low stop from a free-kick, and the visitors went close again as a Jones attempt deflected off Hangeland onto an upright. John Arne Riise's drive from the left tested Green's reactions as Norway pressured, but England held on to gift their new manager a first victory.