FOOTBALL: Jones earns his just reward

There was a proud defiance in the Welsh camp yesterday, after the 1-1 draw with Germany in Dsseldorf's Rheinstadion on Wednesday that lifted them off the bottom of Group Seven.

The result, arguably Wales' best on foreign soil since their 1-1 draw against Helmut Schn's West Germany in Dortmund in 1977, ended Germany's 100 per cent record in the section.

"We thought we did well in Bulgaria [where Wales lost 3-1 last month] and just wanted a bit of justice, a bit of the rub of the green," Vinnie Jones, the Wimbledon player who has become a focal part of the Welsh midfield, said. "We wanted to show we were better than the results had suggested.

"We've got a great atmosphere in the camp and we're having a good crack, with the ghetto-blaster in the dressing-room and all that. Now we've got a result to show what we can do."

Mike Smith, the Wales manager, was delighted with Jones' display. He said: "Vinnie just sat in there in front of the defence and they couldn't get past him. You've got to compete in international football - and Vinnie's a winner."