ENGLAND overcame Mexico at Wembley tonight in their last home match before the World Cup starts next month.

Ledley King, Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson found the net but Mexico did cause problems in the first half.

King made his first England appearance under Fabio Capello, while James Milner was given the chance to stake a claim for a place in the starting XI in South Africa.

After 17 minutes King marked his comeback by heading England ahead with his second goal for his country.

Gerrard’s deep corner was headed back across goal by Crouch to King, who applied the finishing touch.

Robert Green came to England’s rescue when he twice denied Carlos Vela, before a curling effort from the edge of the box by Carlos Salcido hit the outside of a post.

But Crouch doubled England’s lead after 34 minutes. Gerrard’s cross picked out Rooney whose header produced a fine save from Oscar Perez. The ball was tipped on to the crossbar and Crouch was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.

In first-half injury time Mexico reduced the arrears as Rafael Marquez’s header was cleared off the line by Leighton Baines but West Ham’s Guille Franco converted the rebound.

England required only 80 seconds of the second period, though, to regain their two-goal advantage as Johnson cut in from the right flank and skipped past several challenges before curling a 20-yard shot past the dive of Perez.

England: Green (Hart 46), G Johnson, Ferdinand (Carragher 46), King, Baines, Walcott (Lennon 77), Gerrard, Carrick (Huddlestone 62), Milner (A Johnson 85), Crouch (Defoe 46), Rooney.

Mexico: Perez, Juarez, Aguilar (Barrera 52), Marquez, Salcido, Osorio, Torrado, Rodriguez, Giovani (Blanco 72), Franco (Hernandez 46), Vela (Guardado 62).