Youthful Wales hold Norway

Norway 0 Wales 0

Hughes was forced to throw in a clutch of untried youngsters including 20-year-old debut boy James Collins against a Norway side packed with Premiership stars including John Arne Riise and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

But the Welsh side, including players from all divisions of the Nationwide League, put in an impressive display that gives Hughes plenty of confidence. He said: "I must admit when I sent that team out I was a bit apprehensive. They were not very big and all very young, but against a tall, powerful Norway they were excellent.

He added: "I had lost a lot of players yet again, it is becoming something of a habit, but the ones that were here showed great effort and plenty of calm passing and ball retention.

"Norway were on the back of a six-game winning streak, and in the end our lads were throwing everything in the way to make sure they got the draw their efforts deserved.

"James Collins will get the praise, and he deserves it. He had a lot of his club-mates around him and that steadied his nerves. But he showed all the attributes of a good player. He will go on to have a long and hopefully fruitful career.

"The time had come really for both his club and myself to give him a run to see how good he really is.

"Cardiff put him in the side for a spell at the end of the season and that gave me the opportunity to do the same and I was not disappointed.

"My aim is to add to the strength in depth of this squad, and that is what we have been doing. Players like Carl Fletcher, John Oster and the rest have shown they can play at this level and it gives me plenty of scoop for the future," said Hughes.

NORWAY: Myhre, Basma, Henning Berg (Lundekvam 17), Helstad (Solli 62), Andresen, Hoseth, Ronny Johnsen (Andersen 88), Pedersen, Riise, Solskjaer (Tore Andre Flo 61), Saeternes (Lange 46).

WALES: Coyne, Delaney, Collins, Gabbidon, Thatcher, Robinson (Edwards 75), Fletcher, Oster (Barnard 90), Parry (Gareth Roberts 71), Earnshaw, Bellamy (Llewellyn 85).

Referee: Martin Hansson (Sweden).