This must have been reassuringly familiar to Fraser Forster.

The goalkeeper had moved south in the summer in the hope it would improve his chances of regular international football, and yet it took a return to Scotland, at the ground where he forged his reputation, for him to pick up his third England cap. And to think people say that Roy Hodgson doesn't have a sense of humour.

The England manager had insisted Forster's selection in place of the rested Joe Hart was because "he deserves a game" and not because he was used to the surrounds, but it clearly didn't do Forster any harm turning out at the home of the club with whom he made almost 200 appearances, won three league titles, two Scottish Cups and enjoyed several memorable nights in Europe.

In truth, he was tested about as often by Scotland's impotent attack last night as he was during four years in the Scottish top division, although Andy Robertson's consolation goal belatedly gave him something to think about. Forster harbours genuine ambitions of one day supplanting Hart as England's first-choice goalkeeper but he was given little chance to impress Hodgson, so little did Scotland appear in his line of vision.

There were certainly plenty of opportunities for him to take in the sights around his old stomping ground so often was play unfolding at the other end.

Forster was barely troubled in the first half, and was only marginally busier after the turnaround. His first real piece of action didn't arrive until the 50th minute when he showed he had maintained sufficient levels of concentration to tip Russell Martin's header over his crossbar, and he could do little to keep out Robertson's strike at his near post.

That aside it was all about dealing with pass backs, and keeping a close eye on the rare few crosses that traversed across his penalty box. It was rather busier at the other end of the pitch where first another former Celtic goalkeeper, David Marshall, and then the current custodian, Craig Gordon, tried in vain to keep the English attack at bay.

Such was England's dominance for large swathes it made a mockery of the suggestion they could freeze in this so-called hostile environment. Wayne Rooney's revelation that he had spoken to the younger members of the England group to warn them about the Celtic Park atmosphere - as if the locals were some brand of unpredictable, primitive savages - had seemed at the time a bit overstated. And so it proved.

The ambience during the Republic of Ireland game only really warmed up once Scotland had gone in front, and even then it was hardly the kind of firework-throwing, drone-flying madness spotted regularly at grounds in Italy, Turkey and most parts of the former Yugoslavia.

It can get noisy at times at Parkhead but it would be pushing it to consider it the sort of intimidating venue that has opponents nervously checking the inside of their underwear come full-time. For long spells after England went in front, the only noise audible was coming entirely from the away end.

Rooney needn't have worried about protecting his young colleagues anyway. The only teenager in the England starting line-up was Luke Shaw, a £30m Manchester United defender, the next youngest player the 21-year-old Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a regular on the international and Champions League beat, and scorer of the first goal on the night.

The prospect of a few flares, exploding balls of fire and endless renditions of Proclaimers and Runrig songs sending this England team quivering at the knees seemed very unlikely indeed. Most of them would have been familiar to a Scottish audience force-fed the Barclays Premier League in regular doses but in the post-Lampard, Gerrard and Terry era, Rooney is undoubtedly the biggest name of the lot.

Now England captain, the Manchester United forward has demonstrated a new-found maturity of late - he spoke impressively at the pre-match press conference - and in the number nine role he so craves he was the player who always looked likely to cause the Scotland back line problems with his smart running and astute link-up play.

When one Rooney run down the wing was halted by a Scott Brown tackle the visceral roar from the crowd told the story of a prize catch being reeled in.

His two goals in the second half - his second right after Robertson's goal effectively killed any chance of an unlikely Scotland comeback - were just rewards for his endeavour. England were comfortable throughout, with Jack Wilshere another to impress on the night.

Scotland, in contrast, toiled to get any real attacking momentum, perhaps a sign that the effort poured into defeating the Irish four days earlier had left them spent. Forster trooped off at the end having failed to collect another clean sheet but on the winning side at Celtic Park once again.