Southgate reflects on 'different challenge'

Gareth Southgate saw his side overcome their latest test in the quest for next summer’s Euro Finals on Wednesday evening.

After warning previously that his England Under-21 team would have to face packed defences and solid opponents in all of their home games during the campaign, they saved the best until last against a stubborn Wales team.

The Three Lions spent much of the game in Derby on the front foot and in search of a goal, but had to rely on Nathan Redmond’s second-half goal to secure victory.

That made it five wins out of five from England’s home games in Group One and put them six points clear at the top, but Southgate was just pleased to see his players find a way to victory.

"It was a different sort of challenge for us, and actually it was a really good exercise," said Southgate.

"We said before the game that we won’t score in the first ten minutes of every game we play, it might take us an hour or so.

"I thought we were a bit slow in moving the ball in the first half, but we have to give our opponents a bit of credit for that.

"They set up well defensively and they pressed well and counter attacked very well.

"It was a different sort of challenge for us and we know we won’t be three, four or five-nil every time we play.

"So I’m pleased that, under pressure, we’ve kept a clean sheet and there’s a lot we can learn from it."

England now sit at the top of their qualifying group with just three games to go, all of which are away from home – starting against Wales in May before there’s a trip to Moldova and Lithuania in September.

Southgate watches his side in action at Derby

And having seen the determination and organisation from Geraint Williams’ side, Southgate knows it won’t be easy when it’s England’s turn to cross the border.

"We‘ll need to go there and win to try and get through in this group and we’ve seen tonight that it won’t be an easy task," he admitted.

"It will mean a lot to Wales if they can beat us and everybody will be in a different place psychologically.

"The players were in a different place psychologically tonight to what they were in October and November, as we were in flow then.

"There are lads tonight who have had a lot of football and it looked that way tonight and in training.

"But come the end of the season, they’ll have a bit more energy back and we’ll have a really difficult test which we’ll need."