For the first time in 33 years, England failed to score against Wales. On a day when they were looking to put on a good show in preparation for the fast-approaching World Cup competition the following July, everything fell decidedly flat as they produced an inept display.

It was a terrible day with heavy rain continually pouring down. And it was the Welsh who took all the playing honours, being unlucky not to achieve victory. The veteran Ivor Allchurch was still a key figure in their side. Now 35 years old and playing in the Third Division with Swansea, Allchurch was still able to outshine the likes of Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles.

England almost scored in the first minute. Terry Paine took a quick throw-in which sent Greaves streaking past the Welsh defenders, but Sprake was alert and managed to smother the final shot. Hole had a storming game for Wales, as did Reece and Davies. The centre-forward gave Jack Charlton a very hard match, although eventually the towering defender won that personal battle.

One Allchurch cross was met by Davies and his fine header hit the angle of Ron Springett's post and crossbar. Both sides had other chances before the interval, notably when Greaves sent Alan Peacock clear only for Sprake to rescue Wales again by saving with his legs.

England's midfield had struggled in the first half with Stiles and Bobby Charlton never really coming to grips with either their opposite numbers or the appalling conditions. There was no lack of effort in their play, but there was a distinct lack of imagination.

The second half was much the same as the first, with Wales just about having the edge. Reece was a constant threat and he stretched George Cohen's powers of recovery to the full. Indeed, Reece was the surprise success for the Welsh and his clever footwork brightened up a dull afternoon. The one big success for England was goalkeeper Ron Springett.

Recalled to the side for the first time in three years he performed with all the assurance that his experience gave him and his handling of the greasy ball was impeccable.

Right at the death, England nearly snatched victory. Bobby Charlton, at last showing some of his blistering acceleration, attacked down the right wing. He centred perfectly for Greaves to come in and head fiercely at goal. The Spurs striker was desperately unlucky to see the ball rebound back from Sprake's crossbar. That would have been the winner but in all honesty it would have been a travesty if this brave Welsh challenge had ended with nothing. For a team fielding six players from outside the First Division, they had played with great skill and passion. Only a goal was missing.
  

Goalkeeper Ron Springett was recalled for his first game since his nightmare match in France in Ramsey's first game as England manager. He played impressively enough in a goalless game to book a place in the 1966 World Cup squad as an understudy to his successor Gordon Banks. Fielding six players from outside the First Division, Wales managed to prevent England from scoring for the first time in thirty-three years. They had the most productive player on the pitch in balding, 35-year-old Ivor Allchurch, an artist of a player who always managed to put the correct weight to his passes even now that he was into the autumn of his career and playing with Swansea in the Third Division.
  

Every game during 1965-66, both at Full and Under-23 level, was included in Manager Alf Ramsey's final World Cup preparations. For the first match played at Ninian Park, Cardiff on 2 October, before 30,000 spectators, two changes were made from the team which did duty during the close-season tour. In goal, Springett returned after a lapse of two years and Peacock led the attack after an absence of three years. It was a far from happy comeback for Peacock, nor was it a happy match for the whole England team.

Springett, however, fully justified his recall by thwarting many fine Welsh efforts by split-second saves. Wales were well-served by their veteran inside-forward, Ivor Allchurch, whose skill and experience as the schemer of the attack often had the English defence at breaking point. With eight minutes to go, Greaves missed a golden opportunity to win the game for England when he headed the ball against the cross-bar from a centre by Bobby Charlton, with the goal at his mercy.
     

Source Notes

TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record (Breedon Books Publishing Company, Derby, U.K., 1993)
Norman Giller, Football Author
Drew Herbertson, Scottish FA historian
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CG