DRAGONS COOKING UP A SHOCK

Chef Bryn Williams treated Bale & Co to Welsh cakes and lamb to give them an appetite for a World Cup stunner

GARETH BALE and team-mates were treated to Welsh lamb at their team hotel by TV chef Bryn Williams ahead of their crunch clash with England.

Now they must finally produce a tasty performance here in Qatar where they have toiled in Group B against USA and Iran.

Rob Page’s side have an appetite for a shock in this tournament, which has already seen Argentina stunned by Saudi Arabia and Japan come back to beat Germany.

Wales need to win and hope Iran and USA draw, otherwise they will need to beat England by at least four goals to reach the last 16.

It is a daunting task, but Page’s men are determined not to be lambs to the slaughter.

Their team spirit was boosted on Sunday night at their West Bay hotel where they dined on lamb flown in for chef Williams, who also baked Welsh cakes (pictured above).

Bale & Co now aim to tuck into England and gain their first victory over their big neighbours since 1984.

The Dragons skipper said: “It was great to have him come in and cook for the lads. It gave us a boost – a little laugh. Hopefully it gives us a better performance, we would love nothing more.

“We are trying to keep our spirits high. We have to remember we are at a World Cup for the first time in a long time.

“We would rather be at a World Cup maybe not doing amazingly well than sat at home on the sofa not doing anything.

“We are happy to be here and we are going to give everything we can to try to qualify.”

As a TV chef Williams, who previously worked in Marco Pierre White and Michel Roux’s kitchens, is no stranger to pressure. But it is the Wales squad who need to thrive in the pressure-cooker of the World Cup tonight at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in front of a TV audience of millions around the globe.

Their opening performance against USA was mediocre and the next display against Iran was abject.

But Bale says his team-mates cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves tonight when Page is expected to keep faith with his underperforming senior stars, as well as promoting Joe Allen into the starting line-up.

Bale (right) added: “We were hurting after the Iran game and the day afterwards were a bit quiet – but we have characters in the team who got everyone going.

“We’re in good spirits, disappointed with the result against Iran but we have a big game to go. We can’t dwell on Iran too much. This is tournament football, we have to get over it quickly and go again.”

Wales have been widely criticised for their efforts so far, with Bale and fellow ageing talisman Aaron Ramsey under the microscope like never before.

But Bale, who has 41 international goals as a driving force behind successive Euro appearances, maintains the onus is on the players to perform better as a team rather than individuals.

He said: “I don’t feel responsibility because we’re a team. We need to deliver as a team, it’s not one person that needs to do anything.

“We know how difficult it will be. England are a very good team. They’re one of the favourites to win the tournament.

“But there’s been a few shocks in the tournament already and there’s no reason why we can’t do the same.”

After waiting 64 years to get on this stage, what a script that would be – and it would give the nation something to dine out on for a long time.