A number of withdrawals from Martin Hunter’s young party over the last week, mostly caused by David Platt’s plans for the forthcoming European Under-21 Championships, did not help England’s cause.

And while they hustled well in the tournament’s opening game, England failed to make the most of their game against what are perceived to be the weakest of the four teams they will play in Group A.

On a positive note, England created a couple of good chances and Rhys Evans showed why he is too good to be a fourth-choice goalkeeper at Chelsea.

Hunter admitted ahead of the match his team knew little of what to expect today and they seemed to have been caught off guard by the slick Chinese.

Boasting players with aspirations of playing in the Athens Olympics in 2004, China took the game to England from the off, Xinxin Wang shooting low and wide of the left post in the first minute.

Tottenham midfielder Johnnie Jackson wriggled into a shooting position some 12-yards from goal on seven minutes, but had the ball whisked off his feet by Lin Zhou.

Chelsea’s Leon Knight, whose loan spell at Huddersfield inspired the Terriers into the Division Two play-offs, was posing repeated problems with his pace down the right.

But the Chinese continued to threaten and Evans had to turn Zhou’s free-kick around the post for a corner.

Xinxin Wange was finding space in midfield and spread a fine pass to Sheng Wang running down the right.

He got the better of Oldham left-back Chris Armstrong, making his debut, and Peter Clarke had to be alert at the near post to head the cross behind for a corner.

Evans then had to get down to smother a 25-yard drive from Song Yan.

Tao Yu drew another stop from the young Chelsea keeper just after the half-hour, Evans visibly furious with team-mates who left the frontman to run almost unchallenged through midfield.

There was only a smattering of spectators at kick-off, but their number increased as the night’s big attraction Brazil v Poland drew closer.

Matches at Toulon are played over 80-minutes and, when it came, England appeared grateful for the half-time whistle.

China were soon back into their stride though, after the re-start as Ming Gao went down in the penalty area under Clarke’s challenge.

That claim was rejected, but John Halls was booked for a tackle from behind in midfield. Soon afterwards, he made way for Leeds’ Frazer Richardson.

Jackson gave Jun Yang a reminder of England’s potential threat when his low shot, though carrying little power, demanded a save.

And the goalkeeper should have been fishing the ball out of his net a minute later, only for Manchester United’s Jimmy Davis to fire wide at the near post from Armstrong’s cross.

Davis and Danny Webber were now exerting their presence on the match, with Davis playing a floating role behind Webber, who had England’s next chance.

Knight had seen one cross cause terror in the Chinese defence seconds before he delivered another whipped ball from the right, which Webber caught on the volley but sent tamely straight at Yang.

Arsenal’s David Noble made way for Derby’s Adam Murray in the 71st minute as England gave new life to their midfield.

Matthew Hamshaw of Sheffield Wednesday entered the action for Coventry frontman Gary McSheffrey.

Davis chipped a free-kick against the bar in the final minute and Knight sent a header wide in injury time to give further evidence of England’s second-half improvements.

But there was to be no match-winning goal and England now have three days in which to plot the downfall of next opponents Poland.

As well as Brazil and Poland, Portugal are also in England’s group.