ENGLAND C‘s Latvian base resembled a film set more than a hotel, so it was perhaps fitting boss Paul Fairclough was conducting his own auditions.
While a Russian soap – roughly translated as Don’t Joke with the Love – was filmed on location, Fairclough was working out who will star in the Three Lions’ International Challenge Trophy blockbuster that kicks off in Slovakia next May.
And the long-serving national boss will have learnt a lot from this narrow defeat that saw a yin and yang performance from a squad featuring 13 new caps.
England grew into the game with their second-half showing better than the first but, ultimately, they were undone by Eduards Visnakovs’ strike.
“Had we won 6-1 as we did in Bermuda in June, I’d be in a position where I’d be flipping a coin for the selection of the team,” Fairclough said.
“We’ve had a much sterner test, there’s no question about it. They pressed the living daylights out of us in the first half.”
The tactic worked as England C’s usual passing style failed to get into anything like the rhythm Fairclough wanted.
Keeper Mitchell Walker, one of only two players from Bermuda alongside Caribbean hat-trick hero James Norwood, was in action almost immediately.
Viskanovs escaped in behind the defence and Walker needed to sprint from his line and block at the striker’s feet.
Viskanovs was England’s tormentor-in-chief early on and Walker made two more strong saves before the hitman struck.
Racing clear once again he took the ball round Walker and slotted into the net.
Soon after, the Dover Athletic stopper was making more vital interventions; staying big to deny Viskanovs a second when the ball fell his way in the box.
England had been making progress, although frustratingly referee Vadims Direktorenko’s whistle had punctuated the game, with Keanu Marsh-Brown and Norwood providing real impetus.
Barnet‘s Marsh-Brown had drawn a good save from Arturs Vaiculis before Latvia had opened the scoring and his quick feet and trickery were causing problems.
England almost grabbed an equaliser from the most unlikely of sources. Matty Pearson has yet to score a goal in his career but his curling shot looked destined to nestle in the top corner only for the keeper to claw it away.
At half-time Fairclough emptied his bench and demanded his side get the ball down and make better use of it. “Without it meaning to be offensive or derogatory, in the first-half we played Conference style football,” Fairclough said.
“It was only when we were able to get them in the changing room at half-time and talk them through what needed to be done, we played international football.
“We shortened the game down considerably and there were some exceptional performances because we got it down and did what the beautiful game is all about; simple passing.”
Substitute Harrison Dunk’s cross was awkwardly sliced behind for a corner and Marsh-Brown was again denied by a fantastic save from Vaiculis.
England continued to push with James Armson dictating from the middle of the park as Latvia struggled to keep them contained.
Norwood was cynically tripped outside the box but Marsh-Brown’s free-kick curled over and Armson headed wide as the clock ran out.
“I’ve learnt a lot about the players and that’s what the whole exercise was about,” Fairclough said. “I could have gone and picked what I thought was the best side straightaway.
“But we’ve got the luxury this time of having another two friendlies before our really important opening group game.
“So what I will do with the next home game is go strong. We’ll pick out what we feel is the strongest side at the time.
“That could even include players who haven’t been involved because the door is always open. Then you’ve got the likes of Kieron Forbes,?Eddie Oshodi and Jamie Turley who are just coming back – players who have put in big performances over the last 18 months.
“Now I’ve seen how players respond and now I can sit down and put a squad together to play the friendly with Czech Republic in November. That’s a mouth-watering prospect because we know they can play.
“Even in defeat the players are richer for this experience.”
As is Fairclough.
