Wales o70s draw with England...but Miles better!

The Wales Veterans' Football Association sent an o70s squad to Lutterworth FC in Leicestershire to face an England o70s...and after going behind within the first few minutes secured a well-deserved draw.

As predicted, this was a close-encounter, with England taking an early lead, after a calamitous error, which were a feature of the previous two lacklustre performances! But, for the rest of the first half, they demonstrated why they are the current double-world champions...putting in a scintillating 30minute display of dominance, orchestrated by a commanding midfield effort by Compton, Rowlands and Newton, and lacking only the clinical finishing which saw them lift the world cup for two consecutive years. Wales needed to capitalise on their supremacy and although ‘Galloping Judge’ Miles equalised for the ‘dragons’, several other gilt-edged opportunities were not converted, including a strike from Steer which rattled the cross-bar and it, somehow, remained 1-1 at the break.

In the second half, the scorching Leicestershire temperatures started to take its toll on both sets of players, but whereas the hosts were able to change their multitude of substitutes at will, the visitors, with a small squad shorn, of several key players, forced the management to improvise when their charges succumbed to heat and fatigue! The squad then showed why they are so feared...with a defiant performance to earn a well-deserved draw. Young, Jordan, Jones and MoM, Gibb were resolute and Steer and Newton both had their best games in a red shirt.

The countries will next meet in Cardiff in June, for the o70s European Championships and again in October for the 2026 World Cup in Australia....and by then, Wales, hopefully, will have learned to maximise their advantage while in control!

Congratulations to the following players, who were selected by the Management team of Alun Huish, Jon Ross and Jason Kennedy...

1. Alan Meacham - Swansea
2. Phil Gibb (Capt) - Barry Town
3. John Rowlands – Newport
4. Peter Morgan - Penybont
5. Terry Compton - Newport
6. Dick Steer - Penybont
7. Graham Miles - Barry Town
8. Bryn Jones - Merthyr
9. Phil Newton - Swansea
10. Martyn Waygood - Swansea
11. Paul Diaper - Newport
12. Tim Bowker - Barry Town
13. Paul Young - Newport
14. John Jordan - Newport