text: Fran Kirby staked an impressive claim for a World Cup starting role with England Women as she created the first goal and scored a brilliant second in a 2-1 win over China. England began in thrilling style, with Kirby fashioning the opener for strike partner Jodie Taylor after just a minute of play. Reading striker Kirby then fired home the second goal of her short international career - this was her eighth cap - to put the home side in apparently full control at Manchester City's Academy Stadium. Jodie Taylor celebrates following her opening minute strike against China in Manchester . But as 5,665 watched on, England struggled to build on their early assault on the China goal. Wang Shanshan cut China's arrears after shaky defending, and might have had an equaliser in the second half but mis-kicked as England feared the worst. Kirby, a 21-year-old playing in the second division of the Women's Super League, was impressive throughout, a nimble-footed presence who China struggled to deal with. She was player of the match when England played the United States in February, and was again arguably a class apart, although this time midfielder Jill Scott took the champagne. Fran Kirby (left) is congratulated by her England team-mates after she netted the second goal for his side . China were caught cold when Kirby dribbled the ball down the left and curved a tremendous ball with the outside of her right boot to Taylor, who fired past Zhang Yue for the early opener. The architect turned predator to put the hosts 2-0 in front in the 10th minute, meeting a right-wing cross from Jordan Nobbs with a clever touch on her chest that took out her marker before smashing home from 10 yards. Just two minutes later the lively Reading striker, with 10 goals in her last three club matches, forced Zhang to push away a 20-yard drive. Jade Moore hit the left post after a hopeless kick out from Zhang, and England were rampant. Kirby was in imperious form during the first half as she created the first goal and scored the second . That changed once China cut the deficit after 16 minutes, with hesitant defending at a corner allowing Wang to head past Siobhan Chamberlain from close range. Chamberlain had to save well to turn away a free-kick from Li Dongna before the break, with defensive insecurities becoming a worrying feature of England's game. This was England's last home game before Mark Sampson's squad head to Canada in May, ahead of a World Cup campaign that begins against France in Moncton on June 9. England made their first change after 61 minutes as Toni Duggan, on her home ground, replaced Jade Moore. Shanshan Wang races away to celebrate after she pulled a goal back for China in the 16th minute . Kirby almost created a third goal but her cutback after a run down the left went just astray of white shirts. Alex Greenwood prodded a corner just over the China bar, and Duggan headed at Zhang, as chances began to arrive more frequently for England. Kirby departed, with the experienced Eni Aluko taking her place, Wang missed her sitter, and England clung on, the world's sixth-ranked team fending off a side rated 16th globally by FIFA. Ellen White, introduced in stoppage time, won her 50th cap.
target: Jodie Taylor fired England into the lead in the opening minute .
  Reading striker Fran Kirby doubled England's advantage .
  Wang Shanshan pulled a goal back for China in the 16th minute .