Gerrard scored a brace before a late poacher's goal from David Nugent saw England toil to victory in their European Championship qualifier.

The team had been booed off at half-time by the travelling fans who had started barracking the team before the halfway point and the Liverpool skipper admitted it had been a trying experience.

He revealed: "That first half was probably one of the most difficult I've experienced for England.

"The fans were on us quite early and we found it hard to break them down.

"We knew eventually it would come and it did come and maybe we could have scored four or five.

"There has been a lot of pressure. I think it started in Israel, I think that is where [the fans'] disappointment has come from, I think they expected us to get six points."

Captain John Terry urged England's fans not to boo the team during the game, but save their ire for afterwards.

"During the game isn't nice for the players, certainly," he said.

"They're [the fans] entitled to their opinion. But I think for the players' sake, and England's sake, it's best if they keep their opinions until after the game.

"The booing or McClaren shouts are not helping. The players have stood up and taken responsibility for underachieving in recent games and we take that, not the manager."

Terry could understand supporters' frustrations, especially during the first half.

"Not only the fans, but ourselves, I think we expected to score early on and we didn't do that," he said.

"The boss said at half-time to be patient, choose the right passes and not force it.

"We were a lot more patient second half."

The defender also claimed Andorra's gamesmanship did not help England's cause, saying: "They were cheating, diving and time-wasting. We half-expected that. It's not nice, we came here to play a football match and pick up three points."

England boss Steve McClaren insisted he could understand the fans' frustrations but urged them to support the team.

He said: "I can understand the frustration and the disappointment against Israel but we didn't lose and we came here and got three points.

"It is still in our hands, there is a long way to go, there is work to do.

"But what I say to the fans is stick with the players, they are giving it their all and they are out there doing it."

The former Middlesbrough manager instead believed it was job done under trying circumstances.

"We came here to win the football match and we've won it. In the end it was comfortable.

"I was not at all (worried), the first half was difficult - 11 players behind the ball and in difficult conditions."

McClaren also paid tribute to Gerrard.

"You need that in the team (Gerrard's character) and he has done it. He has stepped forward. All the players did that. I am proud of the way they've done it."

Gerrards's two second-half goals from Steven Gerrard and Nugent's late effort gave England an important victory over Andorra in the Euro 2008 Group E qualifier in Barcelona's Olympic Stadium.

McClaren's side struggled to find their rhythm early on as Andorra defended bravely.

Wayne Rooney had the first shot of the game on 11 minutes, firing a curling free-kick just past Koldo Alvarez's right-hand upright.

Gerrard then tried his luck with a long range effort after 18 minutes, but Koldo got down well to push away the Liverpool man's effort.

After a quiet spell, Andy Johnson popped up in the Andorra box and beat two defenders, but saw his curled shot sail harmlessly wide.

At the other end, Justo Ruiz then fired a free-kick well over the bar a minute later.

Stewart Downing almost put England ahead after 34 minutes, but saw his side-footed effort fly over the bar from Micah Richards' cross.

Four minutes later, Koldo did well to keep out Johnson's low drive from the edge of the box as England looked to turn their possession into goals.

But the Andorrans held out bravely and went in on level terms at half-time.

England started brightly after the break and after Owen Hargreaves had smashed a free-kick into the wall, Wayne Rooney shot across the face of goal from the corner of the six yard box after 49 minutes.

Five minutes later, Rooney was involved again as England took the lead.

Aaron Lennon crossed from the right and Rooney flicked the loose ball back to Gerrard, who shot past Koldo from 20 yards to put McClaren's side in front.

England almost went two ahead after 70 minutes when Lennon set up Kieron Dyer, but the substitute failed to control the ball and the chance was lost.

McClaren's side did double their lead after 75 minutes, though, when Gerrard side-footed past Koldo from close range after a neat lay-off from substitute Jermain Defoe.

England poured forward in search of a third goal in the final 10 minutes, and substitute Nugent almost bagged a first international strike after 86 minutes, but was just off target with a side-footed effort.

But Nugent did get on the scoresheet in stoppage time, firing home from point blank range after Defoe's shot had slipped under Koldo.

Goalscoring debutant Nugent insisted Defoe had no complaints over his poacher's strike, despite the Tottenham man's shot looking like it would cross the line unaided.

The Preston striker said: "He said he would have done the same thing," adding: "One cap, one goal - you can't go wrong.

"I poached it on the line, a proper striker's goal."

Nugent admitted he should have scored earlier after coming off the bench, but said: "You can't beat playing for your country and scoring as well."

He admitted he had sensed the pressure on the players upon linking up with the senior squad.

"It's been unbelievable meeting all the players," he said.

"There a lot of pressure on them at the moment, but these are fantastic players, they'll get the results and qualify, definitely."

Nugent hopes his goal inspires other players plying their trade outside the top flight.

"It's unbelievable scoring on my debut, playing in the Championship as well - there's no better feeling," he said.

"That gives hope to all the other Championship players, keep on playing, scoring goals and you might get that chance as well."