Non-League Football: England master Welsh

ON A pitch more suited to Olympic cross-country skiing, England's semi-professional international side overcame both a determined Welsh side and the dreadful conditions to record a 2-1 victory at Bangor on Tuesday.

Delwyn Humphreys, one of the heroes of Kidderminster Harriers' FA Cup run, scored the 74th-minute goal which earned England their third successive win over Wales, meeting a right-wing cross from Mark Hone with a shot which bounced over Mark Deegan in the home goal.

Paul Webb, the Bromsgrove Rovers midfielder, had given the visitors a 17th-minute lead with a well-struck 20-yard shot from an indirect free-kick. The Welsh, whose side was selected solely from Konica League of Wales clubs, equalised two minutes after half-time with a close- range header from Porthmadog's Dave Taylor, the league's leading scorer.

'It was heavy going, but we did well and just about deserved our win,' Tony Jennings, the England manager, said

England's defence was strengthened by the introduction of three new caps with Football League experience: the Kettering goalkeeper, Graham Benstead (formerly with Sheffield United and Brentford), his club-mate Steve Holden (once of Carlisle) and Kidderminster's Simeon Hodson, who has played for West Bromwich Albion and six other League clubs.

England have arranged three more fixtures: against Guernsey on 14 March (venue to be arranged) followed by a short Scandinavian tour in the summer, when they play the Under- 21 sides of Norway (Oslo, 1 June) and Finland (venue / date tba).

WALES: Deegan (Holywell); Blackie (Cwmbran), Foster (Porthmadog), Gullett (Ton Pentre), O'Brien (Aberystwyth), Ellis (Inter Cardiff), Lloyd Williams (Porthmadog), J Morgan, P Giles, P Evans (all Inter Cardiff), Taylor (Porthmadog). Substitutes: Parry (Flint) for Gullett, 54; C Davies (Flint) for Taylor, 72; O'Hagan (Cwmbran) for Deegan, 85; D Evans (Bangor) for Foster, 85; Harper (Conwy) for Giles, 85.

ENGLAND: Benstead (Kettering); Hodson (Kidderminster), Brighton, Richardson (both Bromsgrove), Holden (Kettering), Brabin (Runcorn), Humphreys (Kidderminster), Webb (Bromsgrove), Robbins (Welling), Leworthy (Dover), Collins (Enfield). Substitutes: Hone (Welling) for Hodson, h-t; Ross (Marine) for Leworthy, 72; Venables (Stevenage) for Collins, 80.

Altrincham, have turned to their former manager, John King, to take charge at Moss Lane following the termination of Paul Rowlands' five-month spell as player-manager.