Wales 2 - France 1

PHOEBE RICHARDS celebrated her 100th appearance for Wales by setting up the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over France.

The Knighton ace was presented with her golden cap ahead of Friday evening’s test, the first of three fixtures between the two countries at the Wales National Hockey Centre in Cardiff this weekend.

Captain Leah Wilkinson, on the occasion of her 157th cap – which equalled Paul Edwards' Welsh appearance record – gave the hosts the perfect start with the opening goal. Wilkinson is set to win her 158th cap this weekend which will be a record for any Welsh sporsperson in any sport.

From a corner, with just two and a half minutes remaining in the opening period, Wilkinson put Wales ahead which was just reward for the team that had enjoyed the majority of possession.

France equalised five minutes into the second period through Ines Lardeur to reach half-time with score at 1-1 after Wales had a goal disallowed four minutes later.

In the third period the pressure showed with France’s goalkeeper having to restrain one player from confronting the referee and the visitors finished the period with two players in the sin bin with Yohanna Lhopital making her frustrations known to the official as she was sent from the field.

Wales didn’t capitalise until France were restored to a full 11 and Richards helped Wales to a confidence boosting win with just under 10 minutes to play.

The forward struck when Julie Whiting put a high cross, from wide right, into the French area. Richards appeared to have beaten the keeper, putting the ball through her legs, but a French stick sent the ball back to where it came from and the lively Izzy Webb was able to stroke home to make the score 2-1.

France never stopped chasing an equaliser and in the final 30 seconds skimmed a fast ball across the Welsh goal which only just slipped past the outside of the Welsh goal to roll away to safety.

Following the game Richards said she would have liked to have claimed the winning goal.

"Unfortunately it wasn’t mine but it’s a team win at the end of the day.

"The ball came into the France D, I secured it, I did a back space hit which got saved and it deflected back which Izzy Webb came in as a poacher, I guess, and stuck it away. Brilliant."

The former pupil of John Beddoes School in Presteigne said she hadn’t got caught up in the emotion of her 100th cap: "There’s a lot of expectation around it and my family and friends have come to watch but I think you just block it out so it is like no other game. I’ve done 99 before it so it’s no different."

Wales and France play again on Saturday, at 6pm, and complete the series, which is in preparation for this year’s Euro Hockey Championships, with a test at 11am on Sunday.

The Games will be streamed live on the S4C Clic website, Youtube channel and Facebook page with commentary available in Welsh and English.For a full interview with Phoebe Richards see The Brecon & Radnor Express - on sale from Wednesday, June 5