One goal was enough for the win, Ashley Young the man to sweep home a Stewart Downing cross late in the opening period, it was the second, though, that will have England fans worried as Wales began to even the game out and they would have had a point to take back acrpss the Severn Bridge had Robert Earnshaw not spooned Darcy Blake's cut back over the bar just five yards from an open goal.
There were two changes from Fabio Capello's Bulgarian teamsheet. Friday's notable admission, Frank Lampard, was restored to the the starting XI in place of Scott Parker, the Tottenham man dropping to the bench for fear of receiving the yellow card that would rule him out of England's final group game. Theo Walcott was the other man to lose his place, a hamstring injury putting paid to his night out, James Milner was his replacement in what would become a three man midfield.
The enforced abscense of star hitman Craig Bellamy weakened the Welsh frontline, Steve Morison the lonely figure at the top of Gary Speed's 4-5-1 formation, while fellow suspendee David Vaughan also missed out, though the returns of Jack Collison and Andrew Crofts to Wales' midfield helped to reinforce the Dragons' quest to frustrate the England attack.
England started patiently, monopolising the first five minutes' possession yet unable to break through the steadfast Wales. It wasn't until the seventh minute that fans had an effort to gasp at, John Terry out-muscling Ashley Williams, only to steer his header wide of Wayne Hennessey's goal.
The Welsh 'keeper's hands were rarely involved in the opening exchanges, though his feet were busy with a spree of backpasses, a punch off the head of John Terry was the first notable piece of glovework the Wolves custodian had to execute.
Whichever wing England attacked down their widemen, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, looked continually threatening against the opposing full backs and it was the quick feet of the latter who carved out a cross from the left, narrowly evading the head of Wayne Rooney, floating through instead for Downing to acrobatically blaze over the crossbar.
As England produced two consecutive waves of attack came the opening goal of the evening. James Milner twisted himself away from his marker on the right flank, his original cross hacked away as far as Gareth Barry who fed the ball forward immediately, again out to the right, this time for Downing, the Liverpool man working a yard of space on the outside of his defender before scything in a cross that was met with a drilled near-post finish from Young.
England were invigorated and Rooney came inches from doubling the England advantage, Young the instigator once again, this time working a short corner and flashing a cross across the face of goal.
Within the first minute of the second half England had managed a further three attempts on Hennessey's woodwork, intricate passing allowing Young to test the Welsh number one before Downing saw his shot blocked. Gareth Barry swiped wildly at the third attempt to give the Welsh a moment of respite.
Having produced nothing of note for the best part of 55 minutes Wales suddenly had England scampering. Aaron Ramsey was played into the England box only to find his progress halted by a nerveless challenge from Gareth Barry.
The visitors continued to attack and with a quarter of an hour to go missed their golden opportunity. A free kick was whipped onto the far edge of Joe Hart's six yard box, Darcy Blake knocking the ball back across goal to leave Robert Earnshaw, scorer of over 200 career goals, with what should have been the simplest of tasks. The substitute's connection, however, was anything but sweet as he sent his shot off target with the goal at his mercy.
Suddenly the Welsh had some wind in their sails, Joe Ledley pinging a ball across the box which Chris Gunter collected, slamming his effort against the strong right hand of Joe Hart, not that it would have counted anyway, the full back punished for shoving Ashley Cole to the floor as he controlled the ball on his chest.
That move summed up Wales performance, coming so close and fighting so hard, yet fatally flawed when push came to shove in the final third.
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