Simon Walton played a part as Dexter Blackstock’s strike handed a Football League representative under-21 side victory against their Italian counterparts at Hull’s KC Stadium.
The Southampton striker combined with fellow second-half substitute Izale McLeod to lash the ball home from inside the six-yard box after 68 minutes to seal a deserved win.
But the most impressive performer was Manchester United midfielder Chris Eagles, currently on loan at Watford, who enhanced his growing reputation with a sparkling display in front of 6,265 fans on a bitterly cold evening.
Cremonese midfielder Giovanni Rossi was dismissed in the closing stages for a vicious kick at McLeod as the Italians’ frustrations finally came to the fore.
While Hull manager Peter Taylor’s brief was to pick the best British talent from all three divisions, he made no secret of his intention to select essentially English players and allow them to stake their claims to be part of his England Under-21 side.
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