BURNLEY striker Danny Ings started for the England under 21 team as they won 3-1 in Wales.

Ings featured for 56 minutes at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium as Gareth Southgate’s England side moved to the verge of qualifying for next summer’s European Championships.

Michael Keane, who spent the end of the season on loan at Blackburn Rovers, completed the 90 minutes but Nathan Redmond was the star of the show.

Redmond netted all three goals, although there was some debate about whether Saido Berahino should be awarded the third goal.

Victory moved England nine points clear of Moldova at the top of Group One, with only three games left to play.

Redmond’s treble came less than three months after he scored the only goal when England beat Wales in Derby.

And it left Wales with little chance of progressing into the play-offs, despite Gwion Edwards breaching England’s defence to draw his team level just two minutes after Redmond put England ahead. It was a rare goal for England to concede during Southgate’s reign, but they went on to dominate proceedings as Redmond scored his second before hitting a post midway through the second half and then completing his hat-trick through an angled strike in stoppage time.

England made a bright start, creating chances in the opening 10 minutes for Tom Ince, Ings, Jesse Lingard and Redmond as Wales received ominous early warning signs.

An immaculate playing surface was made even slicker by occasional showers and that perfectly suited England’s impressive passing game, with Wales finding themselves stretched on both flanks.

The deadlock was broken after 18 minutes when Redmond cut inside and shot past Wales goalkeeper Connor Roberts at his near post.

After Wales’ equaliser, Ings was denied by Roberts after being played clear on goal.

But Redmond struck twice more, with his last goal deflected in off substitute Berahino.