Karen Carney’ hat-trick led England to a 7-0 win over Serbia as the Lionesses ran riot in their Women’s Euro 2017 qualifier at Adams Park.

Alex Greenwood’s opener and a Carney penalty added to Rachel Daly’s debut goal to give England a commanding 3-0 lead at half-time.

Ellen White and Isobel Christiansen’s strike made it five shortly after the restart before Carney completed her hat-trick with two quick-fire goals.

England came into the match knowing a win against the Serbs in their next two games would see them usurp Belgium at the summit of their qualifying group.

The result at Adams Park leaves them one point behind Ives Serneels team with a game in hand ahead of a trip to Serbia on Tuesday. 

They started in a manner which suggested they would not be denied the first three of their desired six point haul, pinning Serbia back and probing around the penalty area.

Indeed, Mark Sampson’s side were almost ahead inside five minutes as a well-worked corner found White in space some eight yards from goal.

Her first time volley was well controlled, but lacked direction and flashed just over the bar with Susanne Nilsson well beaten in the Serbia goal.

England’s number nine went even closer moments later after being put through on goal by a clever reverse ball from Daly.

Again her instant snap shot had power and White was unfortunate to see the left-footed drive cannon back of the angle of post and crossbar.

With a quarter of an hour played it was apparent it would be a matter of when not if England would take the lead and they soon had their go ahead goal.

It came from an unlikely source, however, as Greenwood made a bursting run from left-back to latch onto Fara Williams’ perfectly weighted through ball.

The Notts County defender barely had to break her stride before striking a clinical low drive across goal to give the Lionesses a deserved lead.

The hosts had been utterly dominant and but for some profligate finishing would have been out of sight by the 20 minute mark.

Williams, White, Lucy Bronze and Christiansen all missed presentable chances while White saw a dipping 30 yard volley acrobatically turned away.

Serbia, who offered nothing in an attacking sense, then handed England a gift they really didn’t need as White was bundled over by Mirela Tenkov in the box.

The experienced Carney stepped up and sent a powerful drive into the bottom right corner for her first of the match.

Daly would add the third with two minutes of the half to play to give the scoreline a more realistic look at the interval.

The Houston Dash forward produced an impressive display throughout her maiden England appearance as she led the line style for the best part of an hour.

Her goal came after some haphazard defending from Serbia presented White with an open goal.

Daly’s strike partner collected the loose ball some six yards from goal and unselfishly squared for Daly to tap into an empty net.

The half-time break did little to wake a fast-fading Serbian side from their stupor and England added two more goals within seven minutes of the restart.

First, White reacted quickest to fire high into the net from six yards before Christiansen was equally responsive to prod home after the ball had deflected into her path.

The fifth goal brought about an almost immediate change as Sampson opted to introduce Nikita Paris for her debut, replacing Daly.

A frantic opening 20 minutes of the second half came to a close as Carney completed her hat-trick with two of the scrappiest goals you could wish to see.

Firstly the 28-year-old bundled home a corner from almost on the Serbia line, and then saw a defensive header ricochet of her and into the net from similar range to make it 7-0.

England were good value for their lead, but the landslide of goals brought about a change of attitude as they eased of somewhat towards the end of the match.

The visitors would have been pleased with the relative respite and held out for the reminder of the match.

You sense thiugh that Boris Arsic’s side will not be relishing the return match in Serbia on Tuesday.

England: Bardsley; Bronze, Houghton, Bassett, Greenwood, Christiansen (Moore 75), Scott (Davison 64), Williams, Daly (Parris 57), White, Carney

Subs not used: Chamberlain; Scott, Stokes, Stoney

Serbia: Nilsson; Kozovic, Krstic, Tenkov, Damjanovic, Poljak, Ilic (Malesevic 54), Radojicic (Markovic 89), Cankovic, Smiljkovic, Jonovic

Subs not used: Kostic; Slovic’ Jankov, Nikolic, Blagojevic

Referee: Lina Lehtovaara

Attendance: 5,903