Alan Smith has happy

memories of donning the England shirt at Valley Parade.

The feisty Leeds forward scored one of the goals the last time Bradford City played host to the under-21s against Denmark in October 1999. How he could have done with a repeat of that in last night's game with Italy. Time is running out for Smith to make England's World Cup plane to the Far East.

David Platt had stated before kick-off that several places in the 22 were still up for grabs. But as Sven-Goran Eriksson looked on from the upper tier of the Sunwin Stand, Smith failed to stake his claim.

It was a tough night's work for the striker, whose inclusion no doubt helped swell the bumper attendance to a season's best 21,642 - 9,000 more than had watched the Bantams beat Crewe three days before.

Smith tried and tried but never really got into the game. He wasn't helped by his own versatility. Smith had been promised 90 minutes up front by Platt but instead found himself shifted on to the wing and then into the midfield role he has performed so effectively for his club.

When Peter Crouch, the "new Ian Ormondroyd", replaced former Bantams loan boy Matt Etherington - pictured taking on the Italian defence - for the last half hour, Smith finally had the target man to play off. Instead he was withdrawn to midfield, scrapping back into his own penalty area as much as threatening Italy's.

Smith's partnership with Jermaine Defoe gave the visitors few worries in a first half dominated by the European champions.

Platt's seven-match unbeaten run in charge looked to be hanging by a thread as Italy weaved their way through at will, taking a deserved lead after 15 minutes.

Shaven-headed centre-forward Massimo Maccarone had already sent one shot just the wrong side of the post after a clever pass from Marco Marchionni got him in behind JLloyd Samuel. But England hadn't learned their lesson and the same pair linked up again with the Empoli striker shaking off Gareth Barry before clipping a delicate shot round Leeds stopper Paul Robinson.

England, weakened without the likes of Michael Carrick, David Dunn and senior-bound Joe Cole, could have been buried by half-time. Barry crucially cut out a teasing low ball from Marchionni and then Robinson made a great save to tip Emiliano Bonazzoli's close-range jab on to the post.

The momentum shifted drastically after half-time. Matteo Ferrari sliced over his own bar from a cross by Samuel, the nephew of one-time City centre-half Noel Blake, before England levelled on the hour.

Jermaine Pennant's corner was headed up in the air by Ferrari, Knight knocked it down on the edge of the six-yard box and there was Barry to dink the ball past unsighted keeper Generoso Rossi.

Etherington, cheered enthusiastically every time he got the ball, made way for Crouch and Italy were rocking.

Portsmouth's 6ft 7ins striker, bound for Aston Villa sometime in the next 24 hours for a deal that could reach £6m, dominated in the air and showed a neat touch on the floor as England finished the stronger of the two sides.

ENGLAND: Robinson (Bywater 80), Wright, Knight (Gardner 80), Barry, Samuel, Wright-Phillips (Pennant 46), Prutton, Jenas (Parker 46), Etherington (Crouch 60), Defoe, Smith.