Parker's passing resemblance to Beckham

Charlton Athletic 2 Everton 1

If only all the people involved in this marvellous match had been qualified to play for him, England's manager, Sven Goran Eriksson, would never have another worry about putting together a side.

As it was, the attention and speculation focused on Wayne Rooney and a call to the colours, but by the time the Everton 17-year-old was brought on Eriksson had left. However, he has certainly been impressed by Scott Parker, who demonstrated the reason for his England call-up with a Beckham-like afternoon of running the match until he tired late on. Equally, the sure work of Richard Wright in Everton's goal was worthy of recognition, and Richard Rufus put in another rock-like performance in Charlton's defence.

Kevin Lisbie's winner seven minutes from the end was a cruel blow to an Everton side who worked prodigiously to cancel Radostin Kishishev's 18th-minute goal. When they did so, through Brian McBride in the 69th minute, Rooney was recalled from his touchline warm-up. The manager, David Moyes, clearly thought the troops already out there were able to do the business and he was almost right.

His bitterness spilled over afterwards, with a complaint that Lisbie had been offside for Charlton's first goal, that the winner had been fortunate, and that referee Jeff Winter was a "big-time homer". Charlton's manager, Alan Curbishley, called it "fantastic, a great game", and added: "You saw what we were all about today."

What Charlton are about is a smooth-functioning squad with no stars. Even Parker's glorious work is camouflaged in a midfield blessed with the cunning of Claus Jensen and the prodigious work-rate of Jason Euell.

Parker, who has gained caps at all youth levels and has already been watched, clearly decided it was a fitting occasion to lay it on for Eriksson and, especially in the first half, put on a strolling show of all the arts while all around him huffed and puffed mightily.

Everton, enjoying their best season for seven years, came close, Dean Kiely saving brilliantly from Alessandro Pistone. To chants of "Parker for England", the young man concerned then engineered the move leading to the first goal. The ball was slid forward to Jensen. He moved it on to Shaun Bartlett, whose angled shot was deflected by Wright straight into the path of Kishishev at unmissable range.

Wright's acrobatic leap kept Jensen from scoring a second, and the Dane next drifted past a couple of challenges before seeing his curving effort beaten away. Parker was involved in an eye-catching triangular movement with Euell and Bartlett that left him in on Wright, who denied him.

"The only thing Scottie has got to improve on is perhaps his finishing," said Curbishley, who said the reason for Parker and company coming into international reckoning was the team's all-round performance. "Last season I caught some of my players trying to swap shirts with top-six teams and asked them when they were going to have people asking them for their shirts. Now they are getting talked about, so it will happen."

Everton's work-rate was unaffected by the loss, right on half-time, of Alan Stubbs to a severely damaged ankle after a collision with Parker that Curbishley deemed acc-idental and Moyes considered dubious. Yobo was a capable substitute in the second half as Parker and his colleagues ran the midfield and Everton profited on the wings. They were kept in check by the excellent Rufus until Tomasz Radzinski, non-stop Thomas Gravesen and the Chinese Li Tie combined for the American McBride to equalise.

Gary Naysmith might have put them in front, shooting over from not far out, before Charlton brought on Jonatan Johansson. At once the Finn demanded a great save of Wright before nudging the pass which was converted so coolly by Lisbie.

That was enough to see the introduction of Rooney, who showed his merit with a vic-ious 30-yard dipper that just cleared the bar. Is he good enough for England? "If he is good enough, he is ready. It doesn't matter what age he is," said Moyes. "And I think he is good enough because of his incredible enthusiasm."

Charlton Athletic 2 Everton 1
Kishishev 19, Lisbie 83; McBride 69

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 26,623