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Even when he loans Fabio Capello his best players, Stuart Pearce still has the wherewithal to produce a winning team. England will be among the favourites for the European Under-21 Championship finals next summer after extending their run under the head coach to one penalty shoot-out defeat in 22 games. But they also overcame rugged opponents while blooding graduates from the under-19 squad.

While Fraizer Campbell continued the goalscoring form he has been producing for Tottenham Hotspur to set Pearce’s new-look team on their way to a deserved victory, Fabian Delph, Ryan Bertrand, Jack Cork and Adam Lallana were among those making their debuts after progressing from Brian Eastick’s squad. Theo Walcott and Michael Mancienne may be grabbing the headlines, having risen to the senior ranks, but Pearce is aware of the importance of unleashing talent at both ends of the spectrum.

“The likes of Cork, Delph, Bertrand and Lallana showed no nerves and they actually gave us a lift,” Pearce said. “Two years ago, no one had particularly heard of Ashley Young and Leroy Lita at this level. Now I’m hoping a couple of these might push their way through for next summer.”

Only Nedum Onuoha survived from the side who drew 0-0 with the Czech Republic in Arnhem at the start of last year’s European Under-21 Championship finals and the Manchester City defender, back after injury, was rewarded with the captaincy.

Campbell, full of confidence after his first three goals for Tottenham over the past week, swiftly showed he was up to task on his first start for the under-21s. When Jan Halama failed to make a clean connection with Joe Lewis’s long kick, the striker neatly lobbed Jakub Divis to give England a tenth-minute lead. “He played well,” Pearce said. “He’s a threat, a goalscorer, he’s quick and he darts in behind.”

There was an unlikely debut for Frank Fielding when Lewis, the Peterborough United goalkeeper, was injured when saving from Tomas Pekhart, the on-loan Southampton forward. Fielding had been in goal for Northampton Town’s 5-2 defeat by Leeds United, in an FA Cup first-round replay, 24 hours earlier.

Craig Gardner sealed the victory early in the second period with a 25-yard free kick that settled into the bottom corner. A minute later, Jamie O’Hara had a penalty saved and England should have been awarded another spot-kick from the rebound when Campbell was upended. The striker was still smiling, even as he was shown a yellow card for simulation.

England (4-4-1-1): J Lewis (sub: F Fielding, 31min) - M Cranie (sub: K Naughton, 60), R Stearman, N Onuoha, J O'Hara (sub: R Bertrand, 60) - A Lennon, F Muamba (sub: J Cork, 60), C Gardner (sub: F Delph, 86), M Kightly - F Campbell (S Ebanks-Blake, 68) - J Vaughan (sub: A Lallana, 86). Substitute not used: A Johnson. Booked: Campbell.

Czech Republic (4-1-4-1): J Divis - O Kudela (sub: J Polak, 87), O Mazuch, J Halama, J Heidenriech - M Svec (sub: J Lecjaks, 78) - B Dockal (sub: M Gecov, 40), T Horava, J Moravek (sub: J Blazek, 65), T Micola (sub: M Zeman, 65) - T Pekhart. Substitutes not used: T Vaclik, J Reznicek. Booked: Svec, Heidenriech.

Referee: Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey).