WALES SCHOOLBOYS - PRESS RELEASE

WSFA -18 PRESS RELEASE v ENGLAND AT LLANELLI on 12^TH MARCH 2010

Wales Schools Under 18’s begin their challenge for the 2009-10 Centenary Shield when they face England at Stebonheath Park, Llanelli on Friday (12 March) Kick off 7.30.

Team manager Martin Evans has been pleased with performances in Wales’s warm-up games with victories over Australia Schools 1-0 and England Colleges 3-2.

The Centenary Shield involving all four home countries and the Republic of Ireland is however an all-together higher level and England, having just returned from a week in Spain and Gibraltar will be a very stern early test for the Welsh lads, made even harder due to the absence of Jamie Breeze (Newtown) and Nathan Logan (Gorseinon College & Llanelli AFC) through recent, but long-term injuries.

The Welsh team is made up of a number of lads from Welsh Premier League clubs such as Llanelli, Bangor City, Aberystwyth and Elements Cefn Druids, but of local interest will be the two boys from Llanelli, Ryan Batley and Joe Clarke

Wales’s last home fixture with England at Haverfordwest in 2008 resulted in a 1-0 victory for England whose star player on the night was Kent's Chris Smalling. Following his recent £10million move from Fulham to Manchester United, who knows if such a find may be on view in this game?

Wales' other Centenary Shield fixtures are Scotland at Airdrie, Republic of Ireland at Haverfordwest and Northern Ireland in Belfast.