THE timing could not have been better.

Just as Sven-Goran Eriksson's ability to inspire England was coming under intense scrutiny, England produced their first second-half comeback in 16 years.

It was certainly not pretty but, as they emerged with an unlikely win in Slovakia, it was the first time since facing Israel in 1986 that England had emerged victorious after trailing at half-time.

Against Germany in Munich and Finland at Anfield last year, they recovered after going behind but equalised before the interval on each occasion.

This ultimate feat of second-half recovery was, however, the first by England in a competitive game for 33 years and the first ever by them in a European Championship or World Cup tie.

And what a turnaround it was.

Trailing to a 24th-minute strike from Middlesbrough's Szilard Nemeth, Eriksson's side trooped in at the break, perilously short of ideas and rhythm in midfield.

Fifteen minutes later, they emerged if not roused with a battle cry then at least awoken from their slumbers with a new tactical brief.

Portraying it as one of the great half-time team-talks would be rather pushing things.

But while Eriksson was criticised for failing to inspire his players or change tactics against Brazil at the World Cup - when they failed to score a second-half goal in the entire tournament - this time he came up trumps.

''We said at half-time that we could win this game and that we had to win this game.

"We changed things a bit and it was another music from the start of the second half,'' he observed.

''If people aren't trying, then I get angry. But I think they had done the best they could.

"We just had too big a gap between our midfielders and attackers, and we hadn't played well.''

David Beckham's equaliser still owed much to good fortune as his free-kick foxed keeper Miroslav Konig, but the diversionary run of Michael Owen, who almost got a touch on the ball, was also crucial.

The England captain was also fortunate to escape punishment for a number of hot-blooded challenges, while Steve Gerrard also sailed close to the wind after being booked.

But while there were some initial doubts as to the scorer of England's equaliser, there were none at all when Owen nipped in with eight minutes left to pounce on defensive indecision and head the winner from close range.

That the inspiration for the winner came from Paul Scholes, who had delivered the cross from the right flank, was entirely fitting.

For it was in altering Scholes' role that Eriksson finally managed to turn the tide of a game in which his players were otherwise vanishing without trace in the mud.

Scholes had initially been asked to step into England's left-sided version of the Bermuda Triangle but promptly disappeared without trace like so many before him.

When Eriksson decided that Nicky Butt and Steven Gerrard were uncharacteristically having even more problems in central midfield, with their passing especially wayward, he acted decisively.

Scholes was moved into an attacking central role at the apex of a diamond, with Gerrard on the left and Butt as the anchorman.

While it was not until Kieron Dyer arrived to give some vitality on the left that England actually looked dangerous on that flank, Scholes was back in his element.

''It was very important to move him centrally in the second half and we kept the ball much better then,'' observed Eriksson.

''I think that Nicky Butt and Steven Gerrard can play together but we were not successful in the first half and they did a bit of the same work as each other.

''We will see what we do on Wednesday.''

That is when England take on Macedonia in the second part of their double-header and, while Sol Campbell could be back in defence, Eriksson is still no nearer solving his midfield conundrum.

After all, he may know his 11 best players but has yet to find the solution as to how they should best be employed.

At least self-belief could not be questioned in Slovakia, as it had been in losing to Brazil, after coming through the international version of a tricky FA Cup third round tie away to a lower league side.

''We showed a lot of character as the pitch was very bad and it was very difficult to play quick football with short passing,'' said Eriksson.

''To change the result around is not easy at all.

"We did it and I'm very happy for the team.

" I think we deserved it.

''I don't know whether they did it for me, but the feeling is good and they wanted to win.''

England also needed a sizeable chunk of good fortune, with Marian Zemann's deflected shot shaving the post in the dying seconds.

Then again, as Eriksson may have had cause to reflect after another tortuous spell in his private life, unlucky in love..