Jones Sent Off

Jones Sent Off For Under 21s

Wales Under-21s battled back from having a man sent off to beat Azerbaijan Uunder-21s in their opening Uefa Championship match in Baku.

Wales had defender Stuart Jones sent off for a second yellow card, but two Azeris escaped similar punishment.

Oglu Sasha had already chopped down Ramon Caliste, while Rashad Sadigov pushed David Pipe in the face.

Wales won it five minutes from time when Adam Birchall’s clever crossfield ball was hammered home by Matt Crowell.

Crowell had only been on the pitch for three minutes, the Wrexham midfielder replacing wing Stuart Fleetwood as boss Glyn Hodges tried to shore up his depleted forces.

But Hodges could hardly have expected the sweeping move which followed soon after, started by left-back Peter Gilbert’s run and pass.

Birchall took the move on and his vision and weight of pass sent Crowell racing into the box, the Dragons youngster keeping his composure to drill home from 15 yards.

"I suppose you could say it was an inspired substitution," Hodges said.

"But all I was doing was trying to get midfield men on to dig in and get a draw, then Matty gets away and scores a great goal with his left foot.

"Just think, we are top of the table for a while at least. You can be sure the lads are looking forward to playing England now. They can’t wait."

The Wales youngsters now face their England counterparts in their next match at Blackburn next month.

Wales manager Mark Hughes, captain Gary Speed and the entire senior side’s coaching staff were in attendance and can only have been impressed by Gilbert’s performance.

The 21-year-old Plymouth defender has played more than 60 first-team games and has a Second Division title-winner’s medal.

Hughes has fast-tracked several Under-21s previously with vastly less experience than that, and Gilbert produced some timely tackling and solid distribution.

Both sides had chances in a first half that was most notable for Jones’ first booking on 26 minutes.

The pace of Daniel Akhtyamov took him away from Jones, who was booked for flooring the Azerbaijan striker 30 yards out.

Seconds before the break, Sadigov was booked for pushing his hand into Pipe’s face after conceding a free-kick, a reaction that could have seen a red card rather than yellow.

Midway through the second half Jones was shown a second yellow card for what looked like dissent aimed at a linesman, but Wales responded by launching a string of attacks.

The Welsh were entitled to feel harshly treated when Sasha, already booked for dissent, somehow stayed on the pitch after flattening Caliste when the tricky forward was clear.

But justice was done when Crowell pounced near the end to hand Wales a deserved victory.

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