The mixed Welsh boxing team defeated Scotland by five bouts to three in their international in Ayr.

Gwent were well represented by four boxers in Matthew Edmonds (St Josephs), Nathan Cleverly and Robert Turley (Fleur-de-Lys) and Damien Smith (Pontypool) and by four officials in national coach Tony Williams, veteran Cwmbran coach Keith Jefferies, Ken Gray and John Reynolds jnr, who were the referee and judge.

It was John Reynolds' international debut as an official.

Team captain Edmonds gave an excellent account of himself to grind out a good win over highly-rated featherweight James Ancliff, who has just moved back down to the bantamweight class.

With the contest made at 54kg it meant Edmonds was giving weight away, but he gave his best performance for some time and surprisingly stood toe-to-toe with the much bigger Ancliff whom he hurt on several occasions in the first round with body shots .

He cleverly changed tactics midway through the second round and in the third caught the tough Scotsman with combinations of three and four punches, switching from head to body and visa versa to surprise Scottish officials who thought Ancliff would be too big and strong for the St Josephs boxer.

National coach Williams said that when the Scottish flyweight champion pulled out, Wales asked for a bantamweight because it was felt Edmonds needed more bouts at that weight.

"But Ancliff has been boxing at two weights above Matthew this season," said Williams, "and when Scotland put him forward I honestly thought he could not make the weight but decided, with the St Josephs club, that if he did make it we would take the bout."

He added: "Although the gamble came off I will not allow Matthew to box at bantamweight in any more internationals because he was dwarfed by his opponent, but he gave an excellent response."

Another boxer who excelled was lightweight Turley, who beat Joe Kelso, a silver medalist in last November's youth Commonwealth Champion-ships in Melbourne.

After losing the first round, Turley hit back to win all three remaining rounds with his greater speed and determination to record a shock win.

His gym-mate, welterweight Cleverly, also won on points to make it a good night for the Fleur club who had several supporters present and who later presented Cleverly with an 18th-birthday cake, the whole squad, accompanied by a piper, singing happy birthday.

Pontypool middleweight Smith gave a good but losing performance against the much more experienced Ray Warner, who won a comfortable points verdict.

But Smith did well because he is not yet a member of the Welsh squad system .

Other results: Andrew Selby (Splott) won pts v S Piffney; Wayne Lyons (Merthyr Ex) won pts v Eamonn Goodbrand; Paul Davies (North Wales) lost pts v S Carroll; Craig Morgan (Llanharan) lost pts v R Brawley.