IT was a mixed outing for the North-East’s representatives in the England Under-21s team when Gareth Southgate’s team returned from Sarajevo with a point.

Sunderland’s highly-rated goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who is interesting Tottenham, contributed to keeping another clean sheet but there was no way through at the other end either as Bosnia-Herzegovina earned a goalless draw.

Pickford and the defence in front of him were solid in keeping Bosnia at bay on home turf, although their task was made more difficult when Jack Stephens was sent off with 18 minutes remaining for England.

Stephens, on loan at Middlesbrough from Southampton, picked up two yellow cards in 14 minutes and the second arrived when he brought down Marin Popovic in the visitors’ half.

But England, who also introduced Sunderland’s Duncan Watmore from the bench just moments before Stephens’ dismissal, battled on with ten men and could even have won it had James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick not been headed wide by Calum Chambers.

Ward-Prowse had the best chance for England at the Olympic Stadium when he had an effort saved low by goalkeeper Kenan Piric after some good link up play from Chelsea pair Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Dominic Solanke.

But Bosnia also had a few good chances and Southgate was relieved to see Pickford stay solid. The young shot-stopper made a few saves during the afternoon and his best was the first when he stopped Haris Hajradinovoc’s effort.

The result, which could have been better had a penalty been awarded when Solanke was fouled by Aleksandar Jovicic, means England are still unbeaten in their European Under-21s Championship qualifier ahead of Monday’s meeting with Switzerland in Brighton.

England (4-4-2): Pickford; Iorfa, Chambers, Stephens, Targett; Ward-Prowse, Chalobah, Loftus-Cheek, Baker; Solanke, Akpom. Subs: Watmore (for Akpom 70); Forster-Caskey (for Loftus-Cheek 86), Woodrow (for Solanke 89).