WALES hockey captain Abi Welsford was proud of her team’s efforts following some impressive displays against Italy last weekend.

Ranked 31st in the world, 16 places below their hosts, Wales lost a three-Test series in Rome by the narrowest of margins.

Draws in the second and third games preceded a 1-0 win for the home team in the opener, a result which ultimately proved decisive at the end of the series.

With Italy being in the division above Wales in the 2015 EuroHockey Championships and reaching the semi-finals of the last FIH World League, the close results have given Welsford and her teammates confidence ahead of their World League campaign later this year.

“We put together three solid performances,” said Usk’s Welsford, who started her career with Cwmbran Hockey Club.

“We dominated large parts of the game against a team ranked several places higher than us, so we are really pleased.

“It’s promising that even though we are going through a big transitional phase, we are able to develop our style of play while still competing with a team like Italy, who pose a number of challenges.”

Wales head coach Kevin Johnson was also delighted with the women’s performances in Rome.

He added: “This has been a very positive series for us. We have demonstrated an intensity to our play with and without the ball against an Italian side with a lot of experience and who are ranked considerably higher than us.

“We have shown technical and tactical improvements with each game and have become much stronger as a group.

“We are growing with strength and confidence with each performance and are starting to dominate large periods of play.

“We now need to ensure this is a consistent pattern as we look forward to the next challenge.”

After defeat in the opening match, former captain Tina Evans secured Wales a 1-1 draw in the second with an emphatic penalty corner.

Evans was making her first appearance for her country in three years following a break from the sport to further her career as an IT consultant.

In the deciding fixture, it was with dogged determination that Wales twice came from behind to draw 2-2.

Leah Wilkinson and Welsford scored the visitors’ equalisers with two excellent strikes in open play.

Newport’s Sophie Clayton, who plays her club hockey with Welsford at Swansea City Spartans, also featured for Wales.

Next for Wales is a three-Test series against Poland at the National Hockey Centre in Cardiff from July 29-31.