England Women 4 Ukraine 0 - match report
England Women kept up their perfect record in World Cup qualifying and snapped the unbeaten streak of Ukraine in style at Shrewsbury Town.
A goal in each half from Natasha Dowie and a double from strike partner Eniola Aluko after the break saw the Three Lionesses safely home in Shropshire tonight.
Some 5,818 spectators were present at the Greenhous Meadow, which is used to hosting international football as a series of England groups have performed on their turf.
Mark Sampson side's now have six straight wins and have plundered 33 goals into the bargain, not conceding at all as they put their stamp on Group Six.
There did look a danger they would finish a cagey first-half goalless, having wasted chances to break the deadlock before they took the lead in the 41st minute.
Ukraine goalkeeper and captain Iryna Zvarych had denied Alex Scott, who had drifted up from right-back into the opposition box, with a parry wide of her near post.
But Zvarych was left in the net and beaten by Dowie's looping header, after Aluko had floated in a cross from the edge of the area.
The visiting shot-stopper had to save with her legs again a minute later, a great ball through from Lianne Sanderson finding Aluko to go one-on-one.
Ukraine were getting battered at the break and England picked up where they left off in the second-half, a goal glut ending the game as a contest.
There was just four minutes gone of the second-half when Sanderson's pass found skipper Steph Houghton at the byline, helping the ball across for Aluko to finish at close range.
The third goal duly arrived in the 53rd minute, Faye Williams' left-wing corner headed on by Houghton for Dowie to sweep home inside the box, through a ruck of Ukraine defenders.
A fourth goal was the icing on the cake for England with substitute Kelly Smith's first touch freeing Aluko, who ghosted past Zvarych to finish into an empty net
Ukraine came closest to a goal with three minutes to go when Daria Apanashchenko tried her luck from outside of the box, England custodian Siobhan Chamberlain parrying away.
