Blake rallies Wales for Ukraine trip

Mark Hughes is expected to give youth a chance

Wales striker Nathan Blake is urging his colleagues to put Saturday's defeat to Poland out of their minds as his side prepare for Ukraine on Wednesday.

Blake, who scored Wales' only goal against the classy Poles, has acknowledged disenchantment may creep into the side though.

"It's hard to raise ourselves for Kiev, very difficult, but we just have to do it," he said.

"But if we go out there with the wrong attitude we are going to get punished - and nobody wants that to happen.

"We still have to believe we can get a result. If we go there with the attitude of making up the numbers then we will be embarrassed and none of us want that.

Stranger things have happened than us winning in Ukraine." he explained.

The 2-1 home defeat against Poland ended Wales' hopes of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup.

Second cap

Ukraine's own hopes of qualification are very much in the balance following a 0-0 draw wth Norway.

Wales manager Mark Hughes is expected to give a nod to the future and include a clutch of youngsters for the match in Kiev.

Robbie Savage has gone back to Leicester City, after being released by club boss Peter Taylor for just the first half of Wales' double-header.

Full-back Darren Barnard is a doubt after picking up a leg injury on Saturday.

But there could be better news for fellow full-back Mark Delaney, who Hughes hopes is on the way to recovery after withdrawing from the Poland match at a late stage with a hamstring injury.

Tottenham youngster Simon Davies is expected to win his second cap, while Jason Koumas, Carl Robinson and Matthew Jones are also expected to start.