By Dave Wood
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Charlton starlet Joe Gomez enhanced his growing reputation by coming through a tough test in Wales on Thursday night.
The 15-year-old defender, a target for Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City, was named in the starting line-up by England Under 16 head coach Kenny Swain for the Victory Shield encounter at Port Talbot.
Kids are alright: England celebrate Dominic Solanke's winner
England had to withstand a barrage of early pressure and keeper Dean Henderson had to save bravely at the feet of Wales' Daniel James.
The players were forced to flee to the dressing rooms midway through the first-half after the referee halted play during a torrential hailstorm.
England settled after the restart and Gomez saw his well-struck shot blocked on the line after a goalmouth scramble.
England finally made the breakthrough in the 54th minute when Denzil Boadu escaped down the left and pulled the ball back for Chelsea's Dominic Solanke to clinically side foot the ball home for six yards.
Wales threw on Ellis Bellamy, the son of Cardiff and former Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy, who was in the crowd, as a substitute late on but they could not find an equaliser.
On the attack: England Jonjoe Kenny
It gave Swain's side a 1-0 win and their second successive win in this season's competition, following the 5-0 victory over Northern Ireland last month.
Swain said: 'Getting the results at this level is obviously important but the performances are what count and I thought the lads worked very hard to get the victory.
'I'm delighted that the boys are coming through so well, in the last two games we've seen some real quality and I'm sure that will continue in the final game against Scotland in Burton.
'I'm pleased that I've seen so many players over the two games and we've got a lot more players to see.'
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