David Beckham walked tall in Tallinn to set up England for a 3-0 Euro 2008 qualifying win over Estonia, easing the pressure on Steve McClaren. Beckham provided two devastating crosses for first Peter Crouch (54) and then Michael Owen (62) after Joe Cole had broken the deadlock with a classy 37th-minute strike.
The Real Madrid midfielder's bravura performance was all the better considering he picked up an early knock which led to his departure after 68 minutes. But by then the job was done.
McClaren had emphasised the need for patience at the A Le Coq Arena, Estonia's small but modern national stadium, but England were never seriously worried.
Estonia were a side whose talent and ambition were well-matched: both were strictly limited, and England had the lion's share of possession.
With Beckham firing in deadly accurate balls from the right and Crouch, also back in the starting line-up, having a field day in the air Estonia never looked likely to hold out.
Wayne Bridge's return in place of Nicky Shorey also proved justified as his probing runs down the left provided the necessary balance.
Beckham first threatened in the sixth minute when he sent a 20-yard free-kick curling a couple of yards wide, and his sweeping passes continued to cause panic with Lampard and Ledley King both having half-chances.
There was a slight scare for England when Sergei Terehhov swept onto a loose header by King and sent a dipping shot over the crossbar, but at the other end neat interplay between Owen and Crouch saw the lanky Liverpool striker send a side-footed effort sliding past the post.
After 25 minutes McClaren must have shuddered when Lampard was robbed and Oliver Konsa burst into the penalty area only for England to be saved by Terry's last-ditch challenge.
England broke quickly and Beckham sent a shot looping wide after cutting inside, then a free-quick from the Real Madrid player caused mayhem in the Estonia box - but Owen was just unable to apply the finishing touch.
In the 37th minute England's waiting game paid off as Cole, who until then had been having an iffy game, put McClaren's side ahead.
Bridge's long throw was headed on by the leaping Crouch and Cole controlled the ball on his chest, at the same time turning past Dmitri Kruglov before rifling a half-volley past Mart Poom.
It was Cole's seventh goal in an England shirt and his team-mates celebrated with equal measures of relief and jubilation. They might have wrapped the game up almost immediately afterwards when Lampard sent a diving header a yard wide from Bridge's cross.
Gerrard saw a volley well-blocked by Joel Lindpere after more good work by Bridge, then Crouch's downward header from Beckham's corner was easy for Poom.
Vladimir Voskoboinikov nearly ruined all that good work after seizing on to a through-ball but Paul Robinson came charging out to clear.
With nine minutes gone in the second half, Beckham produced a pass of absolute genius to set Crouch up for England's second goal, which settled any remaining nerves.
Picking up possession on the right, Beckham looked up and then curled the ball around the central defender Ragnar Klavan to offer Crouch a gloriously tempting target.
The Liverpool striker made no mistake either, heading over Poom for his 12th goal in 19 internationals.
Terehhov interrupted the flow temporarily, getting a shot on target but straight at Robinson, before Beckham produced the goods again in the 62nd minute.
Lampard's raking cross-field ball dropped at his feet and Beckham bent a cross to the far-post where Owen stabbed home before running to congratulate the creator.
By now Beckham was hobbling badly and soon came off to a standing ovation from the England fans to be replaced by Kieron Dyer, who immediately caused Estonia different anxieties with his searing pace.
The Newcastle midfielder would have been disappointed that a couple of runs did not lead to England's fourth, while fellow substitute Stewart Downing sent a smart drive smacking into Poom's midriff.
The one shadow cast in this land of the midnight sun came when Crouch was booked late on for a needless foul on Lindpere meaning he will be suspended for the Israel match at Wembley on September 8.
But a satisfying night for McClaren finished positively with John Terry clearing off the line from Konsa in injury-time.
