Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips came off the bench to score a late equaliser and hand England Under-21s draw against Yugoslavia.

The youngster was making only his second appearance for his country just a few miles from his home ground, at Bolton's Reebok Stadium.

Wright-Phillips capped an eventful week by thumping home his effort in the 80th minute after being released by Jermaine Jenas.

He was sent off against Everton last weekend only for the red card to be rescinded on appeal as he was about to link up with Under-21s.

Danko Lazovic had given Yugoslavia the lead in the 41st minute, the Partizan Belgrade midfielder taking advantage of a mistake by Arsenal's Francis Jeffers.

Liverpool's Chris Kirkland had already been forced to keep England in the match by making a breathtaking save in the sixth minute from Nemanja Vidic's header.

It was a bright start by Yugoslavia, with Titus Bramble also having to make an important interception from Goran Lovre with Lazovic waiting at the back post.

England found it difficult to get going in front of a sparse crowd and it was 24 minutes before they forced their first corner.

Jeffers later got clear in the box only to rattle in a shot straight at the goalkeeper.

England almost drew level on the stroke of half-time when Paul Konchesky's free-kick was well saved by Polesksic.

Then Platt brought on Wright-Phillips and Shola Ameobi for Jermain Defoe and Pennant and the Manchester City man saved the day.

England U21: Kirkland, Samuel (Parnaby 78), Konchesky (Lescott 89), Jenas, Bramble, Barry, Pennant (Wright-Phillips 60), Carrick, Jeffers, Defoe (Ameobi 60), Prutton (Etherington 73).
Subs Not Used: Clark, Howarth, Crouch, Piper, O'Neil, Evans, Taylor.

Yugoslavia U21: Poleksic (Disljenkovic 45), Nastic, Mijailovic (Joksimovic 62), Lover, Vidic, Jokic (Pekovic 89), Lazovic (Vujosevic 78), Novkovic, Delibasic (Jovanovic 78), Novakovic (Bakovic 45), Matic (Kekezovic 62).

Attendance: 10,511

Referee: K Jakobsson (Iceland).