Wales under-17 team pictured before their Uefa match against Slovenia. Pic: FAW.

Newport County Graduate Jay Fires Welsh Winner

Wales 1 Slovenia 0 

Jay Williams, a former Newport County defender now playing at Fulham’s academy, scored a dramatic winner for Wales in their Uefa Under-17 Championship qualifier against Slovenia in the Netherlands.

The teams were locked on 0-0 after 90 minutes before 16-year-old Williams netted with Cardiff City’s Taylor Jones providing the assist at the Sportpark Parkzicht, Uden.

Williams played out of the Newport County Academy for three years, while he was involved in first-team pre-season friendlies.

He went out on loan to Cymru League Port Talbot Town during January 2018 before returning to County.

The centre-half signed scholarship forms for Fulham in August and said: “I’m over the moon to sign for such a big club like Fulham.

“Newport are a great club. They did a lot for me over the last three years.”

The next fixture for Wales is against hosts Netherland on Saturday, while they complete their Uefa qualifying fixtures against Kosovo.

Williams winner against Slovenia was a delight for team manager Richard Williams, who was in charge of his first competitive matches as Cymru under-17 manager after being in charge of the under-15 squad.

The top two in every group, along with the four third-placed sides with the best records against the leading pair, will follow top seeds Spain and England into the elite round during March 2020.

The draw will be made on December 3.

Uefa under-17 Championships qualifying group:

Cymru 1, Slovenia 0

Saturday, October 12: Cymru v Netherlands (3pm)

Tuesday, October 15: Cymru v Kosovo (6pm)

Wales under-17: Max Williams (Salford City), Harry Jones (Arsenal), Cian Williams (Wrexham), Matthew Baker (Gillingham, capt), Jay Williams (Fulham), Joe Porton (Bristol City), Taylor Jones (Cardiff City), Joshua Edwards (Swansea City), Marcus Dackers (Brighton & Hove Albion), Charlie Savage (Manchester United), Liam Higgins (Everton).

Subs used: Patrick Jones (Huddersfield Town) for Dackers 58; Caleb Hughes (Cardiff City) for Edwards 74; Ryan Viggars (Sheffield United) for Higgins 80.

Subs not used: Ben Coley (Cardiff City), Jac Clay (Cardiff City), Aidan Macnamara (Cardiff City), Omar Clarke (Bristol City), Robson Shipley (Huddersfield Town), Jacob Edwards (Swansea City).

Referee: Lionel Tschudi (Switzerland).

Other group result: Netherlands 1 Kosovo 1

Group table

 Pld W  D  L   G A   GD Pts
 Wales  1 1  0  0  1  0  +1   3
 Kosovo  1  0  1  0 1  1  0  1
 Netherlands  1  0  1  0 1   1  0  1
 Slovenia  1  0  0  1 0 1   -1  0

Wales 20-player squad: 

Max Williams (Salford City), Ben Coley (Cardiff City), Keelan Williams (Liverpool), Matthew Baker (Gillingham), Robson Shipley (Huddersfield), Jay Williams (Fulham), Cian Williams (Wrexham), Harry Jones (Arsenal), Aidan MacNamara (Cardiff City), Jac Clay (Cardiff City), Taylor Jones (Cardiff City), Charlie Savage (Manchester United), Joshua Edwards (Swansea City), Joe Porton (Bristol City), Marcus Dackers (Brighton & Hove Albion), Patrick Jones (Huddersfield), Liam Higgins (Everton), Ryan Viggars (Sheffield United), Omar Clarke (Bristol City), Caleb Hughes (Cardiff City).

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