WALES under-21 boss Brian Flynn has picked out two Gwent stars to shine at a sold-out Ninian Park tonight.

Flynn believes Simon Church and Jack Collison will be crucial figures as his youngsters take on England in the first leg of their European Champion-ship play-off.

Reading striker Church and West Ham midfielder Collison may not be Premier League regulars like England’s Gabriel Agbonlahor and James Milner but Flynn insists they will be more than a match for Stuart Pearce’s men.

Church, whose grandparents are from Newport, will be Wales’ major goal threat with Ched Evans and Sam Vokes having graduated to the senior squad and his manager is delighted with his progress.

“Throughout the whole campaign Simon has been fantastic, an ideal professional,” said Flynn.

“He’s been a big impact player coming on as a sub and making a difference even though he’s been in the shadow of Ched and Sam a little, but now he is the number one striker for the under-21s.

“He was brilliant in Romania, I haven’t seen him play a better game for us, and he’s now up there among the best, that is how highly I regard Simon. He’s is a one off, a very clever player in terms of the timings of his runs.

“He goes where defenders don’t want him to go and that is why he’s a threat and will be against England.”

And Flynn is equally pleased with Bedwellty boy Collison’s impact on the side.

“We were alerted to Jack last year when Craig Bellamy said there was a good player at West Ham to follow up on,” said Flynn.

“He was presented with his first senior cap this week so that shows you the rapid progress he’s made in the last 15 months or so. He’s a young, dynamic footballer and is excited to be working with (new Hammers manager Gianfran-co) Zola who I’m sure will help him to keep improving.”

The former Wrexham boss dismissed suggestions his young team would be overawed tonight. “It’s a big game, the best draw we could have got, because we want to play the best,” said Flynn.

“I don’t think my players will freeze, the atmosphere at Ninian Park will excite them rather than frighten them.

“After beating France dramatically there the boys took great confidence from that and they are really looking forward to playing there again.”