By Tony Leighton

Fara Williams was in excellent goal-scoring form

England maintained their 2011 World Cup qualification hopes following a 6-0 Group Five win Malta in Ta' Qali.

England took a 3-0 half-time lead with goals from Faye White, Kelly Smith and Fara Williams.

The visitors squandered a number of good chances after the interval before goals from Jess Clarke, Ellen White and a second for Williams sealed the win.

"We should definitely have scored more goals," said coach Hope Powell. "It could have been 20."

The victory put England level on points with group leaders Spain, whom they play next month, with a game in hand.

"We'll go there with the aim of winning the game - do that and goal difference is immaterial," added Powell.

What we didn't do was finish - we weren't clinical enough England boss Hope Powell on England's performance

England dominated throughout and were in front in the seventh minute when captain White headed home a Rachel Yankey cross.

Left-winger Yankey then set up striker Smith to double the lead with a 15th-minute volley.

Midfielder Williams fired a 20-yard drive into the far corner of the net for the third goal just before the half-hour.

And, after good chances had been squandered either side of the break, right-winger Clarke stabbed in goal number four from Smith's 56th-minute pass.

Striker Ellen White made it five with a fine 67th-minute solo effort, racing past a number of defenders to score from 12 yards.

And Williams completed the scoring with a close-range shot from a low 82nd-minute cross buy substitute Karen Carney.

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on England's win

But despite the comfortable scoreline, Powell had hoped for a bigger victory margin against the team they beat 8-0 at home.

"It was difficult to play against a team that got so many players behind the ball and we tried shifting players around to create openings," said Powell.

"We did that, but what we didn't do was finish - we weren't clinical enough."

Malta: Costantino; Chircop, Dagostino, Pace, Theuma, Fenech (Saliba 90); Parnis, Cuschieri, Carrabott, Vella (Debono 63); G. Zahra (Xuereb 71).
Substitutes not used: M. Zahra, Sammut, Zammit, Azzopardi.

England: Brown (Everton); A. Scott (Boston Breakers) (Susi (Chelsea) HT), F. White (Arsenal) (Dowie (Everton) 74), Stoney (Chelsea), Rafferty (Chelsea); Chapman (Chicago Red Stars), Williams (Everton); Clarke (Leeds Carnegie), Yankey (Arsenal) (Carney (Chicago Red Stars) 64); E. White (Leeds Carnegie).
Substitutes not used: Chamberlain (Chelsea), J. Scott (Everton), Bassett (Leeds Carnegie), Unitt (Everton),

Referee: Ms S Marte (Norway)

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