REF HELPS ENGLAND THROUGH

PLEASE, please, please can we have good old Mr Eriksson back at Wembley on Wednesday night?

No, not Sven Goran Eriksson.

I mean Sven's Swedish mate Jonas, the ref who played a starring role in England's victory over Slovenia last night.

Because, for 63 minutes, Eriksson was the difference between these two teams after presenting England with a penalty that never was on the half-hour.

A huge and controversial decision that proved crucial in England's edgy 2-1 win.

Now Sven might have had the odd moment when he couldn't "see the incident" from where he was sitting but managers can get away with that.

But not referees.

They aren't supposed to miss a thing - that's what they're out there for, isn't it?

Except they do . . . and over and over again.

First, generous Jonas gave Wayne Rooney the benefit of the doubt after only 12 minutes when the Manchester United star went in on goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

Most referees would have brandished a yellow card - but not Eriksson. He let it go.

But we all winced when Rooney lunged in again - this time on defender Bostjan Cesar - fearing Eriksson would take decisive action.

He did.

He gave England a penalty.

CELEBRATIONS - Rooney congratulates Lampard

It was unbelievable.

This was so much a foul by Rooney on his marker that Frank Lampard should have ballooned his spot-kick into the Slovenia fans to the side of the goal in a display of sportsmanship and fair play.

Of course it didn't happen. Lampard buried his penalty and England were ahead.

And Rooney was lucky.

It could have been a second yellow and an ignominious exit from this key warm-up game ahead of Wednesday's all-important World Cup qualifier against Croatia.

Except that the watching world is not as dumb as Eriksson and could see the truth for themselves.

The TV footage and the close-up photographs tell the real story.

Not that Rooney should be condemned as a "cheat."

This wasn't an 'Eduardo'. This was Rooney getting stuck in as Rooney does - and risking the wrath of the referee.

It's a perpetual theme with Wazza. His supporters argue if you take the fire out of his belly he won't be the same player.

It's an argument that has its merits.

But what if England's old adversary Kim Milton Nielsen had been in charge yesterday?

Instead of grinning and guffawing at getting away with it we might have been groaning and moaning at a ropey ref.

So when we qualify on Wednesday - as surely we will - let's enjoy it, celebrate it but let's be careful about being too gung-ho.

Yes, we have a great manager at the helm.

Yes, we have a good squad and the five or more world-class players the experts say you need to win the World Cup.

Rooney is one of them alongside John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Stevie Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand - and if he carries on at this rate Jermain Defoe.

But one moment of madness - by a player or by a referee - can sabotage the best of plans. The not-so-great Dane Nielsen did it to us in St Etienne on that fateful night against Argentina in 1998.

PENALTY - Rooney goes to ground

He infamously sent off David Beckham and then added insult to injury by disallowing Sol Campbell's "goal".

What about Tunisia's finest Ali Bin Nasser?

Don't remember him?

Well, you'll remember the incident - a certain Diego Maradona climbing alongside England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and helping the ball into the net with his hand.

That "Hand of God" goal put us out of the World Cup and was the most high-profile example of cheating most Englishmen will ever remember.

Mind you if you are of German extraction you might point out here that the one and only time we Englanders have ever won the World Cup was in dubious circumstances.

They have questioned the eyesight of a Russian linesman ever since 1966, arguing hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst's second goal - with the game locked at 2-2 in extra time - should never have stood. Even to this day TV replays and 21st Century technology still can't prove whether it was a goal or not.

But, like last night, we're not complaining.

And let's hope there's no call for complaint when we're in South Africa next summer.

Because there's a meaningful mood about this England set-up.

A focus and a belief that they are capable of competing with the very best - and they've still got 10 months to get even better.

OK, there were times against Slovenia when things were a bit lack-lustre and shoddy.

There were times when the visitors' quick, slick passing opened us up.

Never more hurtfully than when Zlatan Ljubijankic pulled a goal back to make it 2-1 and give England a late scare.

And, yes, the Slovenians are lying third in World Cup qualifying Group Three behind Northern Ireland.

There was also the shocking sight of Rooney missing two sitters from point-blank range - more reasons why he won't enjoy seeing a re-run of this game even if he reckons the penalty was 'a cert'.

But there were also plenty of pluses to savour going into this week's big one against Croatia.

Terry, Lampard, Gerrard and man-of-the-match Ashley Cole all impressed ahead of the one that really counts.

That's when the Three Lions will be roaring with all their power and might.

But the biggest plus of all was Defoe. He's in sparkling form and made a massive impact on England and the game after his half-time introduction.

The Tottenham striker scored just past the hour and said: "At the moment I am playing with good players - when you do that you will get the opportunities.

"At the minute everything I touch is going in, so I am delighted.

"The first half was fantastic and the lads did well. Everyone wants to play but if I can come on and make an impact, then I will do that.

"I will just keep working hard and see what happens.

"It was a good performance. We did exactly what the manager wanted us to do.

"We have done a lot of work in training and I think that showed."

There is no doubt Defoe is scoring for fun right now and his form demands coach Fabio Capello gives him a starting role.

Emile Heskey's place is undoubtedly in danger but so too might Rooney's if he keeps missing and Defoe keeps netting.

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