England laboured but ended up with a 5-1 victory against Kazakhstan to maintain a 100% record in Group Six.

It took Wayne Rooney's late double and Jermain Defoe's injury-time effort to eventually kill off spirited opponents ranked 131st in the world after Kazakhstan had rallied from a breakthrough header by stand-in skipper Rio Ferdinand and an Alexandr Kuchma own goal.

But England were given a scare when Zhambyl Kukeyev struck to make it 2-1 after 68 minutes.

Kazakhstan attacked when they could, and showed plenty of enthusiasm if not much finesse, as half-chances came their way thanks to some lacklustre England defending, but the gulf in ability eventually told.

Kazakhstan goalkeeper Alexandr Mokin did not have a shot to save in the first half, two brave punches to Frank Lampard free-kicks the most exertion he required.

Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard both drove towards the visitors' box after receiving smart lay-offs from Emile Heskey and Wayne Rooney respectively, but on each occasion Kazakhstan's massed defence snuffed them out.

Under the circumstances, and with his hat-trick so fresh in the mind, it was hardly surprising Walcott raised spirits - and the noise level - every time he touched the ball.

The youngster largely lived up to his billing in all senses, apart from the goals.

His extreme pace and fearless desire to run at opponents threatened openings which, as it turned out, did not materialise for either Heskey or Rooney.

Fabio Capello's response was to introduce more direct running, in the form of Shaun Wright-Phillips, at the break, leaving Gerrard and Lampard to prove they could play together in central midfield as Gareth Barry made way.

The early signs were not good as Gerrard failed to cover Ashley Cole's overlapping burst, inviting Sabyrkhan Ibrayev to charge into the space left free.

Sergey Ostapenko probably should have converted the cross, Tanat Nuserbayev definitely should have finished off the downward header but neither did.

It was the let-off England required and, profiting from Mokin's poor goalkeeping, they duly scored.

Wright-Phillips' low drive was ruled to have taken a deflection as it whistled wide. Mokin tried to come through a crowd of bodies to reach Lampard's corner and got nowhere near.

It meant Ferdinand, lurking at the far post, had an empty net to nod his third international goal into.

With 21-year-old Nuserbayev continuing to catch the eye of Premier League scouts, the hosts needed a second, which came courtesy of Kuchma, who turned Lampard's free-kick into his own net as he jumped with Rooney.

Cole aimlessly lofted a pass into the path of Kukeyev, who promptly drilled into the corner just four minutes later to reduce the deficit.

Cole was booed by the England fans thereafter, although at least Rooney sent them home in happier mood as he headed home Wes Brown's teasing cross 13 minutes from time.

There was still time for a brief cameo from David Beckham, who crossed for Rooney to steer home before being replaced by Defoe, who also got his name on the scoresheet in the final minute.