On a night billed as an audition for England’s fringe players, with only five more games before Gareth Southgate names his Euro 2024 squad, Ollie Watkins and Lewis Dunk were the two who emerged with credit from this unconvincing 1-0 friendly win over Australia.

Watkins tapped in the winning goal just before the hour to push his claim for a role as poacher; Dunk had earlier prevented a certain goal at the other end and is emerging as a much-needed new character in central defence to partner John Stones. But elsewhere there were some fluffed lines, and perhaps Gareth Southgate’s main learning was that for all the quality in their ranks, England are not quite the same without Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and their handful of leading lights.

Levi Colwill was understandably nervous on his Egnalnd debut and conceded possession too easily. Trent Alexander-Arnold had limited impact in his hybrid fullback-midifeld role. And it was a rough night for Jordan Henderson, England’s captain, who had little effect on the match and left the pitch after an hour to loud boos around Wembley. It was certainly jarring to see “Al-Ettifaq” on the teamsheet beside his name, and England fans presumably don’t buy his claim that he moved to Saudi Arabia to grow the game and change attitudes from the inside.

England goalscorer Ollie Watkins on BBC Radio 5 Live: “Obviously we didn’t make it easy for ourselves, but it’s the first time for us all playing together. Not many of us have a lot of caps. There were only a few with more experience and in the squad recently.

“It was tough and Australia played well and they didn’t make it easy for us. But you want games like that, you want a real challenge. An all-round good night.

“They’re the best ones, the tap-ins, I’ll take it all day. At the end of the day it says your name on the Sky Sports app, and that’s all that matters so I’ll take it.

“Whenever I have had the opportunity in an England shirt I have done well. I know I can play at the highest level with these players. Whenever I go on the field I just try and do that.”

Jordan Henderson was booed by some England fans on a night when Ollie Watkins helped Gareth Southgate’s much-changed side secure an unconvincing 1-0 win against Australia.

A sold-out Wembley crowd watched a surprisingly hard-fought friendly between these great sporting rivals on Friday night as the hosts experimented with Euro 2024 in mind.

England can wrap up qualification against Italy on Tuesday night and Watkins boosted his chances of being on the plane to Germany with a goal and solid display.

Ollie Watkins has scored in consecutive England appearances, with these coming 563 days apart. It’s the biggest gap between consecutive scoring appearances for the Three Lions since Mike O’Grady between 1962 and 1969 (2,335 days).

More from Watkins: “I am playing with top players, I knew I’d get another chance. There was a few times before I got called up and didn’t think I deserved it but now I am coming in confident in myself off the back of good form.

“I was not nervous and just tried to perform in front of all these fans. I scored, it was a good night. There’s so many good forwards around scoring goals and it is about taking your opportunity when you are on the pitch.

“It was a tough game. A lot of us haven’t played together before. We got the goal and saw it out. There’s obviously a lot to work on.”

Reaction from England goal scorer Ollie Watkins, who spoke to Channel 4: “It is always an honour putting on this shirt. It has been a long time coming.

“I have been waiting a long time for the next call up. I was looking forward to it and I wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip.

“Jack [Grealish] has gone to shoot and he has dragged it. I don’t known if it was going in, my first thought it was going in and I took it off him. I was looking at him and saying ‘not sure if it was going in’.”

Former England goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, speaking on BBC 5Live:

“Let’s be frank, it was a really poor watch. There was no tempo to the game, or cutting edge. There was nothing in the final third.

“These are the exciting players, James Maddison, Jarrod Bowen, Ollie Watkins who got the goal, but nobody really shone tonight.

“It was disjointed, there was no cohesions.”

We’ll see who, if any, of the starting XI also line-up for the match against Italy on Tuesday night. Trent Alexander-Arnold was very good, James Maddison controlled much of England’s attacking play and Lewis Dunk had another solid night in central defence.

90+3 mins: There goes the whistle. England’s much changed and inexperienced line-up get the job done against Australia in a far from vintage performance.

Ollie Watkins’ goal is the difference at Wembley and Gareth Southgate will have learned some valuable lessons about the next group of players coming through the ranks.

Australia made it a tough game for the Three Lions but in the end the hosts get over the line.

90 mins: Three minutes of added time to play at Wembley.