England C saw off Cymru C in an International Challenge Match on Tuesday evening in Altrincham.
Despite a pretty lacklustre first half showing from both sides, it would be Paul Fairclough's Three Lions that took the lead right on the stroke of half time.
A defensive error from Cymru made it easy for the hosts to have a try at goal, which was denied by the feet of Alex Ramsay, as was a follow-up from Ryan De Havilland, but falling straight back into the path of the Barnet midfielder for him to smash home at the second attempt.
The second half was equally as scrappy, neither of the two teams creating a whole lot and a goalless final 45 handing England a one-goal win, which probably comes as a fair result.
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Story of the match
Almost a year on from their last meeting, in which England were thrashed 4-0 by Cymru, just one of the Three Lions who played in their game survived the call-up for 2023, that being Joe Sbarra.
For Mark Jones' side, there were multiple players awarded a recall in a bid to make it a second consecutive win against England, plus some were handed their first international cap.
It was the visitors who were awarded the first chance of the match just three minutes in, from a slightly debatable free kick on the edge of the box, which was excellently struck low by defender Kayne Owen, but 'keeper Sam Howes was equal to it, turning the knuckleball wide.
Apart from that opening opportunity, there wasn't too much for either side to shout about within the first twenty minutes, although Non-League Lions' right-back Gus Scott-Morriss did swing a dangerous cross in front of goal, however just out of reach for Maidenhead frontman Emile Acquah.
Approaching the half-hour mark, it was again Southend starlet Scott-Morriss trying to combine with Acquah, and this time, the latter managed to get his head on, flicking towards the back post, but Vincent Harper arriving slightly too late to turn it home.
Easily the best chance of the game fell to Wales man Sam Jones at the back post in injury time, unable to convert from a threatening lofted cross at the first attempt, Howes denying well with his body.
It would have been no surprise to see the teams head in goalless at the break, and that's what the Dragons envisaged, but a mistake at the back allowed the hosts to take the lead in the dying seconds.
An initial attempt was kept out by the feet of Bala Town stopper Alex Ramsay, but he was left helpless as Barnet's Ryan De Havilland was there to smash home at the second bite of the cherry and give his side the lead on the stroke of half time.
Clearing aiming to counteract that dismal end to the first 45 minutes, Cymru underwent a brighter start to the second half, enjoying a bit more possession, yet still, chance creation was lacking.
Substitutions from either side saw Olly Dyson and James Vennings add to the English midfield department, while the likes of Nathan Wood, Kyle McCarthy, and Josh Williams were all chanced to change the game going into the last fifteen minutes.
The most of an opportunity the Dragons had in the closing stages was a Ryan Sears first-time hit from the edge of the area, which was sent well out of Altrincham's J.Davidson Stadium, a waste for the away side.
And they would live to regret that earlier error at the back, leading to the only goal, and ultimately the winner, as England walked away with their revenge completed following last year's thrashing in Wales.
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Player of the match
Tyler Cordner (England C)
With barely any other standout performances on a particular Tuesday evening, it has to be said that rock-solid Aldershot Town centre-half did a sterling job as skipper for the Three Lions, and evidences his bright future to come.
