PLYMOUTH students Warren Dawe and Tom Moody have already passed one important new year exam, which has won the talented duo a call-up to the England Colleges football squad.

Defender Dawe and midfielder Moody are in a 22-strong squad for the upcoming international with Australia at AFC Telford on Thursday, February 4.

The City College Plymouth pair were selected after winning invites to a training weekend at the Lilleshall National Sports Centre in December.

The 16-year-old Dawe and Moody, who is two years his team-mate's senior, are both trained by the college's director of football Charlie Legg, who finds himself celebrating success on two fronts.

In addition to the talented teenage duo's national selection, Legg's City College Plymouth Development team are top of the Élite Mens' British College League.

Former Porthleven striker Legg said their chance of playing international football was well deserved and also a tribute to the British college system.

He said: "What a great start to the new year for the lads.

"They're both talented footballers so it's thoroughly deserved.

"The college football system is a developing area of élite football and responsible for 64 professional contracts nationwide of the last four years."

Legg added: "The system offers footballers a chance to continue a structured football development programme while continuing their education."

Dawe and Moody followed former City College students Ben Tozer, David Painter and Paul Quinn, who had all previously won selection for the training weekend at Lilleshall.

Tozer, who was released as a youth by Plymouth Argyle, went on to join Swindon Town before signing in an initial £250,000 transfer with then Premier League side Newcastle United in January 2008.

The 19-year-old former Plymstock School student was on the Championship leaders' substitutes' bench for Wednesday's FA Cup third round replay with Argyle at St James' Park.

In addition to Dawe and Moody, Devon colleges have three more players in the England set-up.

They are striker Stan Paxton of North Devon, midfielder Jake Ellis from South Devon and right-back Josh Concanen of Exeter.