[attach id=272467 size="medium"]Rickie Lambert heads home England’s third goal.[/attach]

Journeyman striker Rickie Lambert scored with his first touch in international football as England fought off a tenacious Scottish uprising to earn a 3-2 friendly victory at Wembley yesteday.

England had needed goals from Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck to draw level after Scotland twice led a frenetic match before substitute Lambert thumped in a header from a corner just after coming off the bench.

The 31-year-old Southampton player’s goal capped an enthralling night at Wembley in the first meeting between world soccer’s oldest rivals for 14 years.

James Morrison gave Scotland a shock lead after 11 minutes with a little help from a mistake by England keeper Joe Hart before Walcott’s searing pace enabled the Arsenal forward to level after 28 minutes.

Much-travelled striker Kenny Miller restored Scotland’s lead with a low shot four minutes into the second half but Welbeck cut short the celebrations from the 25,000-strong Tartan Army four minutes later with a glancing header.

Both managers made several substitutions during the second half but it was the introduction of Lambert, a late-developer who once worked in a beetroot factory, that proved decisive as he connected sweetly with Leighton Baines’s corner.

Martin Paterson’s first-half header ended Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill’s long wait for a victory as his side recorded a well-earned 1-0 win over Russia at Windsor Park in a World Cup Group F qualifier last night.

O’Neill’s first nine matches in charge of the national side had yielded five draws and four defeats, but his first taste of success at the highest level was a sweet one as his men got the better of former England boss Fabio Capello and his highly-rated charges.

The tireless Paterson, only starting because of an injury to Kyle Lafferty, delivered the result by nodding home Niall McGinn’s 43rd-minute cross – his second goal for Northern Ireland and first in competitive action.

It was the least his energetic and passionate display deserved and he might have had another when his 58th minute header was chalked off to a tight offside flag.

Results and scorers...

Friendly matches

Albania 2
Rama 21; Kace 67;
Armenia 0

Austria 0
Greece 2
Mitroglou 40, 67;

Azerbaijan 3
Dadasov 5, 71; Aliyev 62;
Malta 0

Red card: Agius (M) 69.

Belarus 1
Kornilenko 16p;
Montenegro 1
Vucinic 62;

Belgium 0
France 0

Bosnia 3
Dzeko 8, 90; Rahimic 30;
USA 4
Johnson 55; Altidore 59; Altidore 84, 86;

Colombia 1
Guarin 89;
Serbia 0

Ecuador 0
Spain 2
Negredo 25; Cazorla 63;

England 3
Walcott 28; Welbeck 52; Lambert 70;
Scotland 2
Morrison 11; Miller 49;

Estonia 1
Kruglov 68;
Latvia 1
Zjuzins 74;

Red card: Dmitrijev (E) 43.

Finland 2
Moisander 35; Hamalainen 83;
Slovenia 0

Germany 3
Gundogan 18; Mueller 31; Bender 75;
Paraguay 3
Nunez 10; Pittoni 13; Samudio 45;

Hungary 1
Dzsudzsak 57p;
Czech Rep. 1
Kozak 22;

Iceland 1
Bjarnason 65;
F. Islands 0

Italy 1
Insigne 76;
Argentina 2
Higuain 20; Banega 49;

Japan 2
Kagawa 55; Honda 72;
Uruguay 4
Forlan 27, 29; Suarez 53; Gonzalez 58;

L’tenstein 2
Christen 31; Polverino 77;
Croatia 3
Eduardo 21, 86; Rebic 67;

Luxembourg 2
Joachim 49; Bensi 80;
Lithuania 1
Matulevicius 15;

Macedonia 2
Ibaimi 82p; Trajkovski 86;
Bulgaria 0

Moldova 1
Dedov 42;
Andorra 1
Sonejee 16;

Poland 3
Klich 4; Sobota 59; Zielinski 61;
Denmark 2
Eriksen 18; Braithwaite 45;

Portugal 1
Ronaldo 87;
Holland 1
Strootman 17;

Romania 1
Stancu 43;
Slovakia 1
Sestak 57;

Sweden 4
Ibrahimovic 2, 28; Ibrahimovic 57; Svensson 75;
Norway 2
Abdellaoue 38; Johansen 43;

Switzerland 1
Alves 47og;
Brazil 0

Turkey 2
Yilmaz 7; Bulut 28;
Ghana 2
Gyan 62, 76;

Ukraine 2
Rotan 29; Seleznev 71;
Israel 0

Wales 0
Ireland 0

World Cup Group F

N. Ireland 1
Paterson 43;
Russia 0

Standings: Portugal 14; Russia 12; Israel 11; N. Ireland 6; Azerbaijan 4; Luxembourg 3.