Academy duo Jacob Walcott and Abdulai Baggie both played for England's under 17s on Wednesday evening.

The Young Lions went down 2-1 to Portugal at Rushden's Nene Park, but it was not for the lack of trying.

Walcott started the game, and was unlucky not to equalise late on when he turned and hit the post from inside the area. Baggie was a 65th minute substitute.

This game was the first in a mini-tournament across the south east of England. The next game is against Israel at Peterborough on Friday, then they face Italy at Northampton on Monday.

Boss John Peacock said, "I think we were unlucky and I've got more positives to come out of the day than negatives."

"Obviously conceding two goals is a negative so we need to work on that and defend a little bit better in those instances.

"We had a mad five minutes just before half time and straight after half time, but in terms of us starting the game, I thought we were excellent.

"In the first 25 minutes they were finding it difficult to live with us, we really passed the ball around with a lot of authority, moved the ball very neatly and I thought it was all going to plan but unfortunately goals change games.

"It was just that killer instinct at the top end and whilst we hit the post twice, it just didn't go in but that's football."

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