Wales delighted to bail out 'Welsh legend' Allen

David Brooks' late goal means Wales still have not lost since the friendly defeat to Slovakia last June which spelled the end for former boss Rob Page

David Brooks says Wales were delighted to bail out Joe Allen after the veteran midfielder's error looked set to condemn Craig Bellamy's side to defeat in North Macedonia.

Wales were staring at the first loss of the Bellamy era after Allen's wayward pass teed up Bojan Miovski to give North Macedonia a 91st-minute lead in Skopje on Tuesday night.

But in an extraordinary climax to the game, Brooks scrambled home from fellow substitute Kieffer Moore's knockdown in the sixth minute of added time to ensure Wales claimed a World Cup qualifying point.

"Joe made the mistake and he's a Welsh legend," said Bournemouth midfielder Brooks.

"So everyone wanted to pull through to help him out. Thankfully it was me that managed to stick it in the net."

Allen, who turned 35 earlier this month, came out of international retirement earlier this year to play for Bellamy.

The Swansea City player had only been on the pitch seven minutes when his uncharacteristic mistake looked to have cost Wales any hope of a positive result.

But Wales had been the better side for much of the contest and deservedly came away with something courtesy of Brooks' dramatic late intervention.

North Macedonia had looked set to register a seventh straight win after breaking the deadlock against Wales in added time

"Anyone can make a mistake and it's unfortunate that he (Miovski) has slotted it home – [Karl] Darlow got a good leg to it but it trickled in," Brooks added.

"Joe is probably one of the best players we've ever had and you don't expect it from him.

"But like the gaffer said afterwards, the reaction to get on the ball, keep moving and progress us up the pitch to get the chance shows the character and how well liked he is in our dressing room.

"As soon as that goal went in there were no heads down – Joe's head would have been down a little - but everyone wanted to get him out. We had that belief that we could go and get an equaliser."

Former Liverpool and Stoke City player Allen has struggled for regular game-time since rejoining boyhood club Swansea in 2022 thanks largely to fitness issues.

The 77-cap star is one of Wales' all-time greats, having been a key figure in the nation's run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 as well as featuring at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.

Former Wales captain Ashley Williams said Allen's response after North Macedonia's goal "shows his character".

"I watched him in the next five minutes and he was still wanting the ball. He wants to affect the game and he had a hand in starting the move where Wales scored," Williams told Match of the Day Wales.

"The career Joe Allen has had, we would have given him that one even if we'd lost because he has done so much for Wales and he is such a good player.

"It happens to everyone and he is allowed a mistake."

Six summer points the next target

Wales are second in Group J having begun their quest to book a place at the 2026 World Cup by taking four points from their first two qualifying games, with a home win over Kazakhstan preceding the North Macedonia draw.

Wales are undefeated in eight games under Bellamy, who took over after Rob Page's exit last summer, as they look ahead to June qualifiers at home to Liechtenstein and group favourites Belgium.

Despite the last-gasp equaliser, there was some frustration for Wales that they came away from North Macedonia with one point rather than three given the control they enjoyed for long spells.

"It was obviously a very interesting ending and I think the performance warranted a win," Brooks said.

"We would have liked six points from the first two games, but the circumstances we've been in, it's not a bad four points.

"We move on to summer and try to get six there."