In 1879, Wales and England met for the first time in international football at a

snow-covered Kennington Oval in South London. The poor weather conditions resulted
in the match being shortened to 60 minutes and the relatively unknown status of the
Welsh side led to a low turnout of spectators; newspaper reports estimate the crowd
was in the low hundreds with some even writing there were fewer than 100 in
attendance.[13][14][15] In the match, William Davies scored Wales' first
international goal but his side were defeated 2–1 following goals from Herbert
Whitfeld and Thomas Sorby.[16][17] The standard of the Welsh side was slowly
improving and the side nearly held the visiting English side in March 1880. Having
trailed 3–0, the Welsh side scored twice in the final ten minutes through William
Roberts and John Roberts but were unable to equalise.[18] William Roberts also
scored Wales' goal against Scotland two weeks later in a 5–1 defeat.[19] Wales
travelled to Alexandra Meadows in Blackburn the following year to play England;
John Vaughan scored the only goal of the game as Wales won their first
international football match.[20][21]

Ireland were the final Home Nation to establish an international football team,
playing their first fixture in February 1882 against England. Having suffered a 13–
0 defeat in their first match,[22] the Irish side travelled to the Racecourse
Ground to meet Wales for the first time. The more experienced Welsh side also
proved too strong for the Irish, John Price becoming the first Welshman to score a
hat-trick in international football during a 7–1 victory.[23] Buoyed by their win,
the Welsh side met England a month later and recorded a second victory over their
neighbours. England had taken a 2–1 lead but were reduced to ten men when Charles
Bambridge suffered a shoulder injury.[24] Wales pulled the score back to 3–3 before
scoring twice in the final three minutes to claim a 5–3 victory.[25]