Routledge almost broke the deadlock after the restart but fizzed a 20-yard effort against the post and Nigel Reo-Coker burst through on goal only to once again be denied by the defiant Rensing.
Arsenal striker Theo Walcott scoring both goals while West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker also staked his claim with an impressive game.
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And Nigel Reo-Coker's hesitancy in front of goal, added to a wayward shot in the first half, cost England twice in the opposing box.
BBC: SPORT | Football | Internationals | Czech Rep U21 0-0 England U21
Captain Nigel Reo-Coker credited the squad's battling character for their promotion.
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Minutes later Davis was booked for a challenge from behind on Nigel Reo-Coker as Villa continued to up the tempo in front of a vociferous home crowd.
But the game soon descended into an ugly medley of high balls and heavy touches, with Nigel Reo-Coker wasting some decent counter-attacking work from his team-mates with a loose final ball.
Nigel Reo-Coker was duly drafted into the starting line-up but the hosts were immediately on the back foot as Everton settled well and threatened menacingly down the left through Leighton Baines.
The Hammers were forced back by wave after wave of red attacks which came to very little before Luis Boa Morte blazed a shot high and wide from a Nigel Reo-Coker cross.
The Republic of Ireland international, in only his third appearance of the campaign after a knee injury, latched on to Nigel Reo-Coker's pass to slide the ball past Paddy Kenny in the United goal.
Nigel Reo-Coker had another good chance to open the scoring when he followed up Tim Howard's flapped clearance of a cross, but the way Tony Hibbert blocked his shot before it could get too close to the goal rather summed up the slightly stifled nature of the game so far.
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