MORE than 8,000 people gathered to watch Saturday's crunch match in the spiritual home of Welsh football; the Millennium Stadium.

Despite the gloom caused by the closed roof, a unique atmosphere bubbling with pride and passion was created in the Taff-side stand before an enormous television screen installed on the pitch.

Stadium organisers did their best to stoke the support by playing Men of Harlech on the PA system prior to kick-off.

Unfortunately the plan backfired, as it clashed with the one-minute silence held for Ken Bigley. Instead of rousing the fans it left a sour taste.

The buoyant mood returned when the game kicked off, but it lasted for all of four minutes, when England took the lead with a Michael Owen deflection from Frank Lampard's long- range effort.

As Wales' beleaguered 11 toiled fruitlessly against the superior England team, the Welsh fans willed on their players as if they were at Old Trafford itself.

Even an energetic half-time performance by Dragonheart, featuring Cwmbran's very own Casey Wilcox, failed to lift the mood of the crowd despondent to be losing 1-0.

With the entire second half being one-way traffic towards Paul Jones' goal-line, the atmosphere only lifted when former Cardiff City marksman Robert Earnshaw entered the fray.

Moments later, however, David Beckham curled a shot into the Wales goal and the contest was effectively over.

Those who paid their £2 entrance fee thought it was money well spent.

Lisa Rowles, 27, of Pontypool, said: "I think the 2-0 scoreline was admirable. The best side won. I just wish the best side was Wales."