by Callum Ellis & Editor
WALES C manager Mark Jones is a ‘proud man’ following his side’s impressive performance against England C at Barry Town’s Jenner Park.
A hat-trick from Dagenham and Redbridge striker Fejiri Okenabirhie was enough to secure the win for the Three Lions, while goals from the manager’s namesake Mark Jones and Chris Venables set up a nervy ending to the game.
Jones’ side frustrated England for large parts of the clash, despite falling to a 3-2 defeat. But the Wales boss believes his side performed to their best against their rivals.
“I’m a proud man,” said Jones. “We went behind and England, at one stage, looked a real good side. We threw caution to the wind, we threw a couple of strikers on and we had a real go at them. Every one of them, they gave us everything.
“When you’re a manager, all you can expect from your players is giving your all and there’s nobody who wore that red shirt tonight that hasn’t given me their all.
“The only disappointment about today is that we didn’t get a result, but I think we’ve done enough to shake the tree and there’s nothing wrong with the Welsh Premier League. It’s just under-rated.”
The Wales boss also highlighted the work ethic of his two central midfielders as they put in commendable performances in the middle of the park.
“My two midfielders [Chris] Venables and Aaron Edwards covered every blade of grass and hardly lost a tackle. They were magnificent.
“I don’t like to single anybody out but they gave us everything and that’s all you can ask as a manager.
“I can go to sleep tonight unhappy, but happy knowing that my players have given me everything.”
Picture credit: Ethan Harris
And Jones admitted that the excitement in the final stages as Wales had a glorious opportunity to draw level through Edwards, could have got him into trouble:
“I haven’t been in a dugout for a couple of years but the passion was right back. I might be a bit lucky that he never equalised – otherwise we might have had an invader!”
Be the first to comment