Robert Green gets ministerial backing from Hugh Robertson

ENGLAND goalkeeper Robert Green today received backing at the highest level as Sports Minister Hugh Robertson sprang to his defence.

Mr Robertson, a Chelsea fan who was in the stadium when Green fumbled a tame shot to allow USA to equalise, urged England fans to stop blaming him and get behind the team for their next game.

He said: "What happened on Saturday night was an unfortunate error. But it's now in the past. It's time to stop blaming one man.

"There's no point worrying about what has happened. It's done. It's vital that everybody now gets behind the whole England team and supports them to go as far as they can."

He rejected claims that Green's blunder was down to the new Jabulani football which is said to move unpredictably. "It was just one of those things. I don't think you can put it down to the ball. It did not seem to swerve dramatically," said the minister. However, he also stressed that it showed how international sport is so often on a "knife edge" with results decided by small mistakes.

Striker Emile Heskey was criticised for not putting away a chance in the second half, though the spotlight has remained on Green's mistake.

Mr Robertson added: "Ninety nine times out of 100 he would have stopped the chance and nine times out of 10, one of our own scoring chances would have gone in, leaving us with a 2-0 win. It just shows how top, international sport rests on a knife edge."

He is confident England have "enough in the locker" to beat Algeria on Friday and Slovenia next Wednesday.