I never gave up England hope - Bent

Darren Bent scored his first England goal and then insisted he has never given up hope of being a force at international level. Bent has struggled to reproduce the form he has shown at club level when representing his country, but put the seal on an impressive 3-1 win over Switzerland with the third goal in Tuesday's Euro 2012 qualifier in Basle.The Sunderland striker said: "It was great to score my first goal for England. I have had a few chances for England and been unable to put one away so I am delighted."Premier League-wise, I have a good record. It is nice to get one for your country. Hopefully now there are many more to come."Bent added: "I never thought my England chances would fade. It's disappointing when you miss out on the World Cup or a major tournament. But at the same time you have to keep your head down and keep working hard for your club."As long as my Premier League form is good, international football will never be too far away. I have started the season like I finished last season. Hopefully I can score more. I have always scored goals for my clubs. I have to let my football do the talking."

Source: Team_Talk