Earnshaw earns point for Wales as ref leaves North in the red

Wales 2 Northern Ireland 2

Northern Ireland took a two-goal lead but were reduced to nine men with both Michael Hughes and David Healy sent off by controversial Italian referee Domenico Messina.

Wales also had a man dismissed Robbie Savage for his alleged role in the incident with Hughes.

However, they rallied and with a one-man advantage stormed back through goals from John Hartson and then Cardiff-boy Earnshaw.

Wales though only have two points from two games and Northern Ireland one. It is difficult to see how either can progress ahead of England, Poland and perhaps Austria.

Northern Ireland were the first to show and James Quinn headed wide in front of the posts following a corner from Tony Capaldi.

The game erupted in the 10th minute when both Hughes and Savage were sent off.

Hughes was the catalyst racing down the line to first floor Savage, who tumbled backwards. He got up and Hughes put a hand in his face, only for Savage to be sent off when it was hard to see what he had done wrong.

Northern Ireland took the lead in the 12th minute following a free-kick from Mark Clyde.

Collins only found Jeff Whitley with his clearance and he struck a superb volley beyond the stranded Jones. Wales retaliated and goalkeeper Maik Taylor did well to turn away a free-kick from Jason Koumas.

Then Thatcher thumped in a shot from 20 yards but Taylor got down quickly to smother.

Northern Ireland went 2-0 ahead in the 21st minute after Collins slipped up again.

Healy got away from him and chipped the ball over Jones to score his 15th goal for the province.

The Preston striker was then sent off by referee Domenica Messina leaving Northern Ireland with nine men.

Healy was given two yellow cards, one for celebrating too much and then for an apparent gesture to the home supporters.

Capaldi almost added a third for Northern Ireland when he thumped in a shot that Jones took with some difficulty. Wales pulled a goal back in the 31st minute when Craig Bellamy knocked a nice ball into the middle.

Hartson peeled away from his marker and got on the end of the cross to head past Taylor.

Then Earnshaw almost pulled home side level in the 43rd minute when he tried to curl the ball beyond Taylor.

The shot got away from the Birmingham goalkeeper but finished the wrong side of the post with the striker beating the ground in frustration.

Hartson then went close in stoppage-time when he headed over following a cross from Gabbidon.

Oster tried to get Wales going two minutes into the second-half but his cross was easily taken by Taylor.

Northern Ireland had claims for a penalty waved away by the referee in the 49th minute after Capaldi appeared to be tripped by Gabbidon.

Wales drew level in the 75th minute thanks to Earnshaw, who recently sealed a £3.5million move to West Brom from Cardiff.

He got on the end of a neat cross from Oster to find the target for his eighth goal in 15 international appearances.

However, Northern Ireland dug in and secured a point their work ethic deserved..

WALES: Jones, Delaney, Collins, Gabbidon, Thatcher, Oster, Savage, Speed, Koumas, Bellamy, Hartson. Subs: Melville, Page, Parry, Pembridge, Taylor, Earnshaw, Crossley.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Taylor, Aaron Hughes, Murdock, Williams, Capaldi, Johnson, Clyde, Whitley, Michael Hughes, Healy, Quinn.

Referee: Domenico Messina (Italy).