Sampson savours six-hit

ENGLAND’S Lionesses delivered a public endorsement to under-pressure manager Mark Sampson by thrashing Russia at Prenton Park.

Goals from Nikita Parris, local favourite Jodie Taylor, Jordan Nobbs, Lucy Bronze and Toni Duggan, who struck twice, meant that for 90 minutes at least Sampson could savour every moment of his job. And there would

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have been no point sweeter for the 34-yearold Welshman than when the entire starting XI made a beeline for the bench to celebrate the 11th-minute opener from Parris alongside him.

This opening World Cup qualifying match for England, their first step on the road to France 2019, was played against the backdrop of Sampson facing allegations of racism, harassment and bullying.

He has been twice cleared, by an internal Football Association review and then an independent investigation, and firmly denies all wrongdoing.

But the issue is lingering and might do for some months to come as pressure mounts on the FA to launch a new investigation. Fran Kirby, who had set up Parris, did the same for the second for Duggan.

Kirby then earned, but missed, a penalty, with Ksenia Tsybutovich sent off for a second bookable offence. Nobbs lashed in a third on 36 minutes with Bronze and Duggan completing the rout.