WELSH fans were treated to plenty of goals as international football returned to Wrexham for the first time in four years.
There was a crowd of 10,008 in attendance as Wales ran out 4-0 winners over Gibraltar at the STok Cae Ras.
Captain for the evening Ben Davies opened the scoring after 22 minutes, before Kieffer Moore doubled the hosts lead four minutes later.
Nathan Broadhead’s whipped finish made it 3-0, before Moore headed home his second and Wales’s fourth just before the break.
It was a rather passive second half, with Wales having plenty of the ball without adding to the scoresheet but it was a case of job done, and Rob Page would certainly have been pleased with his side preventing the visitors from even registering a shot.
The Welsh boss named a relatively inexperienced side for the game against the 198th ranked side in the world, with Sunday’s vital Euro qualifier against Croatia on the horizon.
There were, however, starts for local lads Danny Ward and Neco Williams, while Charlie Savage made his first start in a Welsh shirt in front of dad Robbie in the stands.
It was a slow start, with the friendly aspect living up to its name, but Davies got the scoring underway as he headed home from Broadhead’s in swinging corner.
Savage, who looked bright on his debut got his first assist in the Red shirt after his whipped ball in was headed home smartly by Moore.
Davies came close to adding Wales’ third but his headed effort from a Broadhead corner was cleared off the line by Liam Walker.
It was Broadhead, who impressed throughout, that put Wales 3-0 up after 35 minutes.
He received the ball from Dan James, who replaced Wes Burns early in the first half through injury, before sitting down a Jolley and curling his effort into the top corner of Coleing’s net.
James was provider once again after he raced down the left-hand side before floating a ball into the back post, where Moore was waiting to head home, making it 4-0 just before the interval.
With Sunday’s crucial game against Croatia looming, Page made a host of changes at the break with Ward, Davies, Jordan James and Moore all departing.
It was a rather passive second half from the hosts who enjoyed large spells of possession without causing Coleing too much trouble in the Gibraltar goal.
Tom Bradshaw came close midway through the second half, but he couldn’t quite get a touch on Joshua Sheehan’s ball across the face of goal.
In the 78th minute they came close to adding a fifth as James’ curling effort from 20-yards rattled back off the post.
Ten minutes later and Bradshaw snatched at an effort in the box, with his shot going into the side netting.
Wales (4-4-2): Ward (Hennessey 46); Williams (Wilson 64), Low, Poole, Davies (Lockyer 46); Savage, James (Sheehan 46), Cullen, Burns (James 15); Moore (Bradshaw 46), Broadhead. Subs not used: King, Beck, Rodon, Brooks, Levitt, Harris, Roberts, Ampadu.
Gibraltar: (4-3-3): Coleing; Olivero (Mouehli 46), Jolley (De Haro 64), Sergeant, R. Chipolina; Pozo (J Chipolina 60), Walker (Coombes 71), Annesley; Ronan, De Barr (El Hmidi 71), Britto. Subs not used: Banda, Lopez, Cascario, Badr, Santos, Hernandez, Ballantine.
Attendance: 10,008.
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