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Young England find plenty of reasons to be cheerful

By Michael Hann LONDON (Reuters) - Seven victories in a row, new-found optimism and a young striker to get excited about, Roy Hodgson's England are showing bright shoots of recovery after last year's dismal World Cup campaign. Having failed to win a game and been knocked out in the group stage in Brazil, England have won all seven matches since and have made a flying start to Euro 2016 qualification. Hodgson's young side beat Lithuania 4-0 at Wembley on Friday as goals from Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Raheem Sterling and debutant Harry Kane moved England top of Group E by six points ahead of Slovenia and Switzerland. "Since the World Cup we have been fantastic," captain Rooney told reporters. "We've had some great victories, are scoring goals and we have real energy around the team. "A lot of teams will be looking at this team around Europe and will be frightened." Hodgson's decision to keep nurturing talent is starting to pay off as his youngsters look more assured with every game. Sterling and Welbeck continue to impress in attack while Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph and Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne look comfortable on the international stage. Tottenham Hotspur striker Kane, who has scored 29 club goals this season, is the man of the moment, however, after scoring 79 seconds into his debut against Lithuania to steal the headlines. "I am delighted for him (Kane)," Hodgson told reporters. "There has been a lot of pressure around him, but it is fantastic that in the 25 minutes he was on the field he produced a little bit of magic and scored his first goal. "You can only beat what's in front of you. We had to work hard to wear them down in the first half and we got our reward in the second half when they tired." Tougher tests will come for England and a good barometer of their progress will be against Italy in a friendly in Turin on Tuesday, a team they lost to at the World Cup. Hodgson, however, is in no rush to throw his youngsters in at the deep end. "Our major test will be when we get to France and I'm convinced we'll get there," Hodgson said. "We've got a year and bit to work with them and this team are so young."