Hartson strikes in defence of Hughes

Wales 1 Belarus

John Hartson believes he is repaying the Wales manager Mark Hughes for helping to rescue his career.

Hughes backed Hartson through the bad times and saw the benefits when the Celtic striker grabbed a fine winner in Cardiff on Saturday to lift the mounting pressure on the manager with a win over Belarus in the final match in Wales' unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign.

Despite two collapsed transfers and ongoing injury trouble, Hughes never lost faith in the 26-year-old. None of that was lost on Hartson, who said: "He has shown faith and belief in me and I'm grateful for that and have repaid him with goals."

Hartson's second-half header clinched a deserved first win in their group for Wales. Hughes described Hartson's towering performance as "immense" – and Wales' new footballer of the year was only too pleased to thank the manager.

"Goals are what I'm there to get, but if it has helped take pressure off Mark then I'm delighted," Hartson said. "Honestly I didn't really think he was under – or should have been under – any real pressure. I feel it would be a massive backward step if there were any changes."

Hughes is expected to retire from playing at the end of his contract with Blackburn in the summer to take up the Wales post full-time.

Goal: Hartson (47) 1-0.

WALES: P Jones (Southampton), Delaney (Aston Villa), Pembridge (Everton), Melville (Fulham), Symons (Fulham), J Robinson (Charlton), M Jones (Leicester), Speed (Newcastle), Davies (Tottenham), Bellamy (Celtic), Hartson (Celtic). Substitutes: Page (Sheffield Utd) for Symons, 16; C Robinson (Wolves) for M Jones, 65; Roberts (Norwich) for Hartson, 90.

BELARUS: Tumilovich (Rostelmash Rostov), Yakhimovich (Gaziantepspor), Yaskovich (Anzhi Makhachkala), Lukhvich (Torpedo Moscow), Shtanyuk (Stoke City), Gurenko (Parma), Baranov (Spartak Moscow), Kulchiy (Shinnik Yaroslavl), Shuneiko (Krylya Sovietov Samara), Vasilyuk (Spartak Moscow), Kachuro (Dynamo Minsk). Substitutes: Gleb (VfB Stuttgart) for Baranov, 67.

Referee: P Rodomonti (Italy). Bookings: Wales: Pembridge, J Robinson. Belarus: Yaskovich.

Attendance: 12,000.