Pubs in the centre of Oxford were packed to the hilt with England fans yesterday as they cheered on their team and watched them beat Ecuador 1-0 for a place in the World Cup quarter finals.

Steele MacKenzie, manager of comedy club Jongleurs in Hythe Bridge Street, invited the Oxford Mail to soak up the atmosphere for England's first game of the knock-out phase.

With seven plasma screens and a giant projector, the venue was packed with fans wearing three lions, but there were few laughs in the first 10 minutes as England played the long ball game in a bid to reach lone striker Wayne Rooney.

Then Sven's men got a wake-up call after defender Ashley Cole was forced to tip a shot on to the crossbar.

Mark Johnson, 21, from Culham, near Abingdon, said after the first half: "England are lucky not to be 1-0 down. It's another average England performance they are getting more shots on goal but they are making mistakes in defence too."

Alex Garth, 23, from Cutteslowe, added: "England don't look totally convincing, so I'm hoping they sneak a late goal I think we have got a really good chance of getting a goal from a set piece."

There were groans from fans on 35 minutes after England captain David Beckham's free kick flew past the post, but there were cheers of "Rooney, Rooney!" before half-time as the striker shouted abuse at the referee for failing to spot a handball offence. Next stop, for the second half, was The Goose pub in Gloucester Green, which was also fitted out with a number of pin-sharp plasma screens.

Dom Cross, 24, and Andy Hurren, 23, soldiers from the Cambridge-based Royal Engineers, were wearing replica shirts from England's 4-2 defeat of Germany in the 1966 World Cup.

Mr Hurren said: "England have yet to perform in this World Cup we need to show a bit more passion."

Tony Haugh, 37, who works for Rowse Honey in Wallingford, described England's performance as 'iffy".

He added: "They should be able to beat a team like Ecuador easily and I hope they start to play better as they progress through the tournament."

Among the first to celebrate Beckham's goal from a free kick on the hour mark were Kevin Harvey, 22, Robert Kingham, 23, both from Abingdon, and Aladdin Elston, 25, from Oxford.

Mr Kingham said: "We were over in Germany for the Trinidad and Tobago game and the atmosphere was electric.

"The German fans were very hospitable and the women were very friendly as well. It's great that Beckham has scored and there was me saying he should be taken off."

There were huge groans on 72 minutes when Wayne Rooney nutmegged a defender and pulled the ball back for Frank Lampard, who missed the target yet again.

But Brazilian Paulo de Sousa, 40, from Headington, who is completing a three-year English course, was delighted with England's 1-0 victory.

He said: "I am supporting England unless they are playing Brazil and then it will be hard to decide who to support.

"The English are very friendly and I love Oxford. If England play Brazil, it will be a tough game."

Following the final whistle, David Joseph, 40, from St Margaret's Road, North Oxford, and Chris Watts, 32, from Thame, celebrated with their St George's Cross flag after watching the game in O'Neills, George Street.

Mr Joseph said: "England started the game badly but then they improved. Now they can go on and win the World Cup bring on Germany!"