THE SOUND OF SILENCE

FROM BACK PAGE stars. But Dier claimed it was difficult for the players to adjust to the unusual circumstances.

He said: “It was strange, the first experience of it for all of us.

“A couple of fans got up on the hill but once the game started it was in the back of our minds.

“We could easily hear them, they were the only ones here.

“I thought I had scored and when I looked back I felt it was going in. It was unlucky and disappointing.”

The Croatians had to play the game behind closed doors after crazy fans mowed a swastika into the pitch in Split before a Euro 2016 qualifier against Italy.

A handful of England fans beat the ban, perching on a nearby hillside to give their support to Harry Kane and Co with a steady stream of chants from the darkness.

Southgate was desperate for a win after England lost their opening game of the competition against Spain at Wembley last month.

A draw isn’t a disaster – but it’s a missed opportunity with the team finishing bottom of the three team group being relegated into a tougher Euro 2020 qualifying group.

And there was more bad news for Southgate with yellow cards for Jordan Henderson and John Stones ruling them out of England’s game against Spain in Seville on Monday.