BLACKBURN striker Matt Derbyshire scored as Stuart Pearce's reign as the full-time England Under-21 coach started with a draw against Romania at Ashton Gate.

Pearce's new set of youngsters started brightly and were leading through Derbyshire's early strike before the visitors dragged themselves back in the game.

Bogdan Stancu's free-kick crashed off the bar and went in off goalkeeper Joe Hart to level matters at Bristol City's ground, and despite ending the game with 10 men Romania clung to a draw.

This was Pearce's first game as full-time coach and he had lost more than half of his squad, meaning Under-21 debuts for the likes of Craig Gardner, Martin Cranie, David Wheater, Michael Kightly, and Michael Johnson.

It was a sweet return for Gabriel Agbonlahor, who missed the Euros after the Football Association failed to contact him to confirm his call-up, and he gave Pearce a glimpse of what he had been missing.

They looked to use the speed of Agbonlahor and Theo Walcott, with the latter stabbing wide as Pearce's youngsters started at a pacy tempo.

The reward came in the eighth minute when Gardner's throw from the right found his Villa team-mate Agbonlahor with his back to goal.

Agbonlahor turned and drove across the face of the goal for Derbyshire to tap in, his third goal for the Under-21s in five appearances and adding to his fine early-season form after scoring a beauty on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League season.

Romania got themselves back in the game as the tempo slowed down, although their equaliser in the 24th minute came after a huge slice of luck.

Nedum Onuoha, the skipper for the evening, slipped as he tussled with Stancu and the ball struck the hand of the Manchester City defender, earning him a booking.

Stancu's free-kick from the edge of the area came back off the crossbar and in off Hart's back. It was wretched luck on Hart.