The weekly round-up
The midweek fixtures featured many Welshmen in action this week. Iestyn Samuel wraps up all the action as the Carabao Cup second round gave first team opportunities to many youngsters out to prove a point and fight for a future starting berth.
Monday
Barclays Premier League
Wales captain Ashley Williams was the only Welsh representative in Monday Night Football’s fascinating encounter between Manchester City and Everton. Williams played a solid 61 minutes in a tight 1-1 draw. Williams was a busy man this week, and also featured in Everton’s Europa League second leg Qualifier against Croatian side Hadjuk Split, with a 1-1 draw on the night enough to seal the Toffees entry to the group stage phase.
Tuesday
Carabao Cup First Round
Only the one fixture left to play from the first round as Danny Collins’ Grimsby narrowly lost 1-0 to Tom Lawrence’s Derby County. Lawrence is still settling into his new club following his £7 million transfer from Leicester City, and managed to get 81 minutes under his belt.
Carabao Cup Second Round
Two clubs who often possess a strong Welsh contingent are Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town. The two met on Tuesday as the Eagles soared to a 2-1 home win thanks to James McArthur’s late double. Welsh goalkeepers Wayne Hennessey and Ipswich’s Michael Crowe were surprisingly the only Welsh representatives, but both were not required from the bench.
Promising young striker Tyler Roberts was another Welshman who failed to enter the fray in his West Bromwich Albion side’s 3-1 away win at Accrington Stanley. Roberts will more than likely be itching for a loan spell by the end of next week’s transfer deadline, preferably to a Championship side.
Aston Villa are a side with a growing number of Welshmen. However, youngster Mitchell Clark was the only surprise Welshman included, playing a full 90 minutes and impressing at centre half. The Wales under-19 international will now be aiming to compete with fellow Welsh centre half James Chester for a starting spot at the Villains. Young goalkeeper Owen Evans was an unused substitute as his Wigan side were hammered 4-1 at Villa Park.
The 26-year-old defensive-minded midfielder Charlie Clough played a full game as his brave Barnet side lost by a goal to nil away to Premier League newcomers Brighton. Meanwhile, David Cotterill was an unused sub as Birmingham City were beaten 2-1 at home to Bournemouth.
Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City Side featured three Welshmen as the Bluebirds disappointingly crashed out 2-1 to Burton Albion. Young right back Cameron Coxe made an accomplished start to his professional career, with Jazz Richards filling in at left back, who generally did the basics well throughout. Midfielder Mark Harris failed to appear from the bench.
Experienced midfielder Nicky Adams played 88 minutes as his battling Carlisle side fell to a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Adam Matthews’ Sunderland. Matthews needs a season of first team football if he wants to challenge for the Welsh no.2 spot again, and a full game on Tuesday night was a step in the right direction.
One of the biggest upsets of the night occurred at the Keepmoat Stadium as Doncaster comfortably knocked Hull City out of the cup with a 2-0 win. Hull’s Welsh youngsters Tom Dyson and Liam Edwards didn’t feature, but their presence on the Tigers’ bench can only be encouraging signs.
Another club challenging for ‘Biggest Upset of the Night’ were Bristol Rovers, who claimed a 1-0 scalp away at Fulham’s Craven Cottage. Captain Tom Lockyer played a full game while an in form Billy Bodin managed an hour. Promising young midfielder Ryan Broom will have been delighted with his ten minute cameo, while striker Ellis Harrison was the star man, appearing for 68 minutes, and bagging the match winning goal for the Pirates.
Connor Roberts made his first appearance for Championship contenders Middlesbrough, playing a full game at full back as Boro defeated Scunthorpe 3-0 to seal their place in the third round. Elsewhere, veteran David Pipe featured in Newport’s valiant 5-1 defeat away to Leeds United. Joe Walsh played 74 minutes as his former club Swansea City gave the MK Dons defender an unpleasant night, with the Swans securing a 4-1 away win.
Marley Watkins is a man who is surely on the very fringes of a starting position in Chris Coleman’s Welsh side. Despite also being eligible for the English and French national side, Watkins will cement his Welsh eligibility if his current form continues, which saw him assist and score himself in Norwich City’s 4-1 home defeat of Charlton Athletic. Meanwhile, Toulon squad member Chris Mepham was an unused substitute in Brentford’s 4-1 away thrashing of London rivals QPR.
Leicester City were also 4-1 away winners, with experienced Welshman Andy King getting an assist for the Foxes. Sheffield United were the drubbing recipients, with full back Kieron Freeman playing a full game for the Blades, while Ched Evans managed an hour. Welsh qualified youngster David Brooks continued his impressive rise with an assist for the Steel City club’s only goal of the game.
Only one match-up from Tuesday’s set of fixtures went to extra time, and Welsh supporters will not be surprised to hear that Reading captain Chris Gunter played the full 120 minutes as the Royals sneaked a 3-1 home win, with Millwall’s Steve Morison coming off the bench in the 66th minute for the Lions. Meanwhile, Gunter’s fellow full back Morgan Fox was an unused sub in Sheffield Wednesday’s 3-2 away loss to Bolton Wanderers.
WEDNESDAY
Carabao Cup Second Round
Sam Vokes has almost guaranteed a starting position in Chris Coleman’s Welsh side having started the season on fire, but was an unused substitute in Burnley’s 2-0 away win at local rivals Blackburn Rovers.
Birthday Boy James Collins produced a man of the match winning performance as West Ham coasted to a 2-0 away victory at Cheltenham Town. Collins was exceptional as the man known as ‘Ginge’ turned 34 on Wednesday. Fellow Defender Jordan Cranston played the full 90 for Cheltenham.
Former Swansea City man Alex Bray has yet to have the opportunity to make his mark at relatively new club Rotherham United. Bray came on too late to make an impact in the last ten minutes, as Huddersfield Town continued their fantastic start to the season with a 2-1 win at the John Smiths Stadium.
39 capped Welsh centre midfielder David Edwards made a return to the Wolverhampton Wanderers starting XI as they impressively dumped Premier League side Southampton out of the cup with a 2-0 win at St Mary’s. Edwards could well be an integral starter for the upcoming crucial Austria game, replacing the suspended Joe Allen. Edwards marked his return with a cultured performance, bagging a late assist to finish the game off.
Finally, the performance of the night, must frustratingly go to Allen. Allen was in phenomenal form as he captained his Stoke City team to a 4-0 home victory against League 1 Rochdale. Allen only played one half of football for the Potters, but amazingly grabbed two goals and an assist for Peter Crouch. I mentioned frustrating, as Allen will of course not be available for next Saturday’s crunch home fixture against Austria due to suspension. Should Wales overcome the massive Austrian test, supporters will be more than relieved with Allen’s return for the away game out in Moldova.
In Other News:
Real Madrid were victorious in the ‘Santiago Bernabeu Trophy’, in a game which marked the 60th anniversary of the 1957 European Cup Final. Gareth Bale secured another 20 minutes under his belt as Los Blancos beat Fiorentina 2-1 to technically claim their third piece of silverware this season.