ENGLAND EDGE OUT WALES

Young Welsh team takes on English counterparts in back-to-back matches, writes Gareth Jones

CARDIFF

MAY 13-14

WALES did well to hold a strong England team – most won national titles last month - to a 5-5 draw in the first part of this development international at the Sport Wales National Centre, but the visitors learned enough to emerge 5-3 winners in the second session.

Junior 66kgs Milwyn Lloyd took a unanimous triumph over Callum Kilmore-walsh on the first evening, but the High Wycombe southpaw found the range with his jab in the opening exchanges of the rematch and nicked a split decision over the Llay boxer.

Similarly, at Youth 51kgs, another North Walian, Cory Jones

(Maelor), convinced all five judges that he had beaten Guildford’s Leo Wood, but the visitor found that bit more in the return to persuade a majority to favour him.

Of course, there were some who repeated their initial success: Joshua Jarvis (West Ham) had several inches in height over Wales’ Raj Singh (St Joseph’s, Newport), claiming two unanimous wins at Junior 48kgs, though the game Singh managed to get much closer, only for him to be given counts in the last two sessions.

Halifax switch-hitter Joe Turner

did the double over Cardigan’s

Mikey O’sullivan at Junior 52kgs. Both were close encounters but the English lad won unanimously and then on a split.

Joe Williams (Maerdy) commanded throughout Friday’s Youth 54kgs meeting with Haris Zaman, but the Middlesbrough man stormed out in the second instalment and bullied his fellow southpaw out of his rhythm. Joe managed to regain his shape, however, and claimed a split verdict.

A more fortunate double went the way of Welsh Junior 65kgs

Kai Powell, from the Calzaghe Academy. The taller Martin Nathan Barrett (Powerday Hooks) seemed to have won both clashes, but Powell was given the nod by 3-2 and 4-1 splits. It should be noted that at least one English judge voted for him each time.

The best contest was saved to the end. Impressive Sharpstyle southpaw Nelson Birchall secured England’s overall victory when he unanimously outscored St Joe’s Axel Hegarty in an outstanding Youth 60kgs bout.

OTHER RESULTS

(Welsh first): Friday: Youth: 48: Saad Abdullah outpd by MIKIE TALLON unan. 60: Axel Hegarty outpd by FRED PULLEN split. 71: Luke Corcoran stpd by JIMMY DEAN WOOD 3rd. Saturday: Junior: 60: ALFIE LEWIS outpd Archie Bell split.