MICHAEL OWEN saw his long-awaited England return upstaged by two other comebacks and the emergence of a star in the making last night.

Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing, who has so often borne the brunt of abuse from fed-up England fans, gave the perfect answer with two superbly-taken goals.

Manchester United striker Alan Smith, fit again after a horrific broken leg which kept him out for 14 months, scored his first England goal in nearly five years.

And Blackburn's in-form David Bentley shone as he staked a claim for inclusion when today's senior squad is announced, especially as Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon is almost certainly out with a knee injury. It capped a satisfying night for England manager Steve McClaren and his plan B, even if Owen failed to find the target at Turf Moor last night.

The Newcastle striker, pulling on the Three Lions shirt for the first time since his serious knee injury against Sweden at the World Cup last summer, missed an easy firsthalf chance.

But he still showed enough in his all-round play to give beleaguered McClaren a lift.

Owen proved himself fit and ready to return to the senior squad for the prestige Wembley friendly with Brazil next Friday and the make-or-break Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia five days later.

No-one will be happier than McClaren to see his most prolific goal-scorer back on the international stage.

Bentley was the pick of the four uncapped players to start last night. And with Lennon limping off after just 10 minutes with a knee injury, the door may be about to open for the Blackburn man.

Of the other uncapped starters, Reading left-back Nicky Shorey, Liverpool keeper Scott Carson and Tottenham defender Michael Dawson also provided hope for the future.

McClaren said: "A lot of the players have done themselves no harm whatsoever and it was tremendous for Michael to get 90 minutes. It was his first 90 minutes for England in nearly a year and he did everything but score. A goal would have been the icing on the cake but that will come. Michael is like a new signing for us.

"I was pleased for a lot of them. Downing looks stronger, more mature and he's come through a lot. Alan Smith has also come through a horrendous injury while Bentley had the sort of arrogance that you need from a player in an England shirt."

Owen said: "I'm happy I've played 90 minutes. I've only played four times this season so I'm not going to be at my best, but I felt sharp, my knee feels great and now it's just a matter of getting sharper."

It took him only six minutes to threaten. He fed Lennon on the left and the Tottenham winger put over a low cross which Owen should have scored from, but instead steered the ball wide of the far post.

Four minutes later on came Downing, and his introduction gave England proper balance and width. Downing, Bentley, Gareth Barry and Jermaine Jenas moved the ball around well in midfield while Albania's Besart Berisha hit the bar with a 20th-minute shot. England really took charge with two goals in the space of three minutes as Smith struck in the 34th minute. Shorey's pass found Barry, whose neat lay-off was perfect for Smith to fire into the bottom corner.

It was only Smith's second England goal and his first since September 2002 when he scored against Portugal at Villa Park. During that time came his agonising lay-off when his whole career was under threat from a broken leg.

But if Smith has endured physical pain, then Downing has also suffered mentally as he has so often been singled out by England fans for the team's failings and he has been seen as the manager's favourite from their time together at Middlesbrough.

However, Downing showed his class last night with a smartly-taken finish in the 37th minute after Owen challenged Albania keeper Arjan Beqaj for Phil Neville's cross.

Albania's best player Berisha pulled a goal back before half time.

But the impressive Downing wrapped up victory with another smart finish - a clever lob - after 58 minutes following more good work from Owen and Bentley