Perfect start for England made, with a 5-0 win over San Marino in the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign

England's Wayne Rooney (C) celebrates after scoring the second goal during their Euro 2016 qualifying soccer match against San Marino at Wembley Stadium in London October 9, 2014. REUTERS

England duly beat San Marino 5-0 to maintain their perfect start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign but laboured for long periods against the joint-worst team in the world at a half-full Wembley on Thursday.

England went ahead when Phil Jagielka headed home a corner after 24 minutes, doubled their lead when Wayne Rooney scored his 42nd England goal from a 43rd-minute penalty and added a third in the 49th minute when Danny Welbeck smashed home a cross from his Arsenal team mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Andros Townsend, who replaced Welbeck on 66 minutes, made it 4-0 six minutes after coming on, scoring with a fierce shot that bounced in between goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini and his near post.

The fifth was an own goal from Alessandro Della Valle, who deflected a cross shot from Rooney into his own net after 77 minutes.

While the result was convincing, it did not reflect how poor England were in the first half or how they were frustrated for much of the match by a blanket San Marino defence and by Simoncini, who made one superb save from Welbeck in the 42nd minute and several other good stops in the second half.

San Marino spent most of the match in their own half and despite England having to work hard for the win, there was never any doubt the visitors were heading for their 66th successive defeat in World Cup and European Championship qualifiers.

"The fact is, in the first half of this game, a very fit and healthy team got 10 men behind the ball," England manager Roy Hodgson told ITV.

"We had to wear them down and keep doing the right things, knowing if you do that and you score one or two goals in the second half, it will open up and you can score lots and lots of goals."

England, who beat Switzerland 2-0 in their opening qualifier last month, now have six points in Group E and play in Estonia on Sunday.