DRAGONS NOT A MYTH

John backs Welsh to turn up heat

JOHN HARTSON fears Wales are running out of time to rescue their World Cup dream – but claims that is precisely why they will win in Dublin tonight.

The Dragons cannot afford to lose to the Republic of Ireland at Aviva Stadium having made a shaky start to the qualifying campaign. Semi-finalists at Euro 2016, Chris Coleman’s side languish in third spot in Group D, four points behind Martin O’neill’s Boys in Green who set the early pace. While three of Ireland’s opening four games have been away from home, Wales have done it in reverse and tonight is only their second game on the road. They have led at half-time in all of their games to date, but only registered one victory and that was against minnows Moldova. Costly draws in Cardiff against Georgia and then Serbia has left them with work to do and Hartson is stressing the need for a result tonight. “It’s imperative we don’t get beat because if it goes to seven points, it would be very difficult to come back,” said the ex-striker, inset, who scored over 100 goals for Martin O’neill’s Celtic. “If it goes to seven points, there’s only five games to go so Ireland would have to lose two or three and we would have to win two or three. “We appreciate Ireland have had a good start and we respect them, so it’s very important we get something out of the game. “Ireland have an advantage because they are four points clear – they don’t have to push. A draw keeps us four points behind so we have to be on the front foot. “We have to be a bit more open and be a bit more positive. Ireland can start quite conservatively and play their way by using set-pieces and the pace of Shane Long. “But we know Gareth Bale is brilliant, we know how instrumental he was in helping us reach the Euros. We scored 11 goals in qualifying and Gareth got seven. “So are we under pressure? The manager doesn’t think so, Chris still thinks there’s enough points to play for. But I think we’re running out of games slightly. This is a big one.” If Wales were suffering a Euros hangover, spirits have been lifted this month by the release of the ‘Don’t Take Me Home’ documentary recalling their remarkable summer. And it is precisely those memories from a remarkable adventure in France that Hartson wants Wales to draw on, if they are to get a foothold in this World Cup race. “Ideally we want to take maximum points tonight and we’re capable of it if we play the way we know we can,” said the 41-year-old who scored 14 goals in 51 caps for Wales. “Ireland had a buoyed Euros – you won one in four, we won four in six. We were semi-finalists on merit. “The difference in this campaign is we’ve not been able to see games out. That’s an art in itself. “We did it in qualification for the Euros but we’ve not quite grasped it here.” And it is those points already dropped on the road to Russia that Hartson hopes doesn’t come back to haunt Wales. “It’s disappointing but we have to keep our spirits up because we know we’ve spectacular players in Bale and Aaron Ramsey. “If both teams play to their maximum, we’ve got the star players. Arsenal turned down £40 million from Barcelona for Aaron Ramsey two years ago! “Ireland have no Robbie Brady, no Wes Hoolahan, no Ciaran Clark – that’s a big opportunity for Wales to take advantage of.”