Wales Vets secure win in North Wales charity match!

The Wales Veterans' Football Association accepted an invitation from Llay Welfare FC Vets to send a ‘Select’ Representative squad to North Wales to take part in a charity match to raise money to help with the running of the Club’s Youth Teams... writes Paul Richards...

The match took place at the beautiful Llay village setting on the outskirts of Wrexham and both sides were keen to put on a good show for such a worthwhile cause. Wales started brightly with early possession and the six invitational players from the North Wales Vets league, were prominent. Wayne Phillips from Queens Park Vets opened the scoring after Barry Town’s Ross Hutchins had put him through. Llay fought back and during a great spell, they won the ball in midfield, played a great pass through and finished for 1-1. Wales then really started to play some great football orchestrated by skipper, Leon Thomas, and when a super cross from Queens Park’s Peter Wadeson found Tryfan Prosser, he made no mistake and put Wales back in-front. They scored again minutes later when Ferndale’s Geesy Rees, found space outside and sent a wonderful cross for Hutchins to finish well and give Wales a 1-3 half-time lead.

Following an entertaining half-time display from the Llay Welfare junior teams, the second half kicked off. Wales had made a number of changes to personnel and switched from a 4-4-2 system to 4-3-3, which immediately paid dividends with the pace of Steve Lewis and Del Patel stretching the Llay defence and both would have increased the Wales lead but for a series of great saves by the home keeper. Llay caught the Welsh defence napping and capitalised with a great finish for 3-2. Wales restored their 2 goal advantage when a great move on the right involving Andy Evans and Gareth Jones fed Rees, who smashed home for 2-4. Wales greater fitness now came to the fore and they continued to move the ball quickly and, Rees again provider, and Lewis raced through to finish. The final goal came from a great set-piece, when Anthony Douglas found Penyffordd Vets’ Steve Davies, who finished with a cracking header.

The final score was 6-2, only to be bettered by the occasion and the groups of young Llay Welfare juniors present. Wales Manager, Paul Richards, who originally hails from North Wales, says “Hopefully this fixture has helped to raise money to support the club’s Junior section, but it has certainly provided another opportunity to ‘build bridges’ with our colleagues in the north of the country.”

Congratulations to the following players who were selected by managers, Paul Richards and Paul Averies....

Jonathan Howe - Ferndale
Andrew Evans - Rockspur
Anthony Douglas - Rockspur
Chris Harding – Briton Ferry Llansawel
Richard Ferguson - Barry Town
Shaun Allen - Coopers FC
Shaun Butler - Llantwit Fardre
Geesy Rees - Ferndale
⁠Leon Thomas (Capt) – Llanelli Town
Gareth Jones - Ferndale
Steve Lewis - Upper Rhondda
⁠Ross Hutchins - Barry Town
Ben Bannon - Penydarren
Del Patel - Briton Ferry Llansawel
Richie Ferguson – Barry Town
Tryfan Prosser – Gresford
Steve Davies - Penyffordd Vets
Peter Wadeson – Queens Park Vets
Wayne Phillips - Queens Park Vets