Elliott snatches point for North

Northern Ireland 3 Austria 3

Elliott came off the bench to make his mark after Austria seemed assured of victory at Windsor Park.

Instead the Northern Ireland team came off to cheers from the home crowd with Colin Murdock and David Healy also on target.

Austria took the lead on 14 minutes when Markus Schopp rounded off a flowing move.

Although Austria continued to look dangerous on the counter-attack, Northern Ireland drew level in the 35th minute thanks to a wonderful goal from Healy, his eighth in 10 games for his country.

Jeff Whitley played a nice little ball in and the Preston striker took it on his right foot before flicking it on to his left.

Then from 25 yards he flighted the ball over the stranded Manninger to the delight of the home crowd.

Considering it was his first game in three weeks following a groin injury the quality of the finish had to be admired.

Northern Ireland almost added a second in the 42nd minute when Manninger reacted superbly to push away a powerful header from Quinn following a deep cross from Gillespie.

Northern Ireland were looking for their first home victory in three years and the crowd were in expectant mood at the start of the second-half.

Doherty and Johnson were bossing the midfield as Northern Ireland produced one of their best performances for some time.

The home side took the lead when Murdock scored his first goal for his country on his 25th international appearance. He got on the end of Johnson's corner to head past Manninger after some appalling marking by Austria.

Northern Ireland's euphoria lasted only 60 seconds with Christian Mayrleb squeezing a shot inside Carroll's near post.

Tempers became frayed and Schopp appeared to head butt Quinn. Then Murdock got involved and lashed out at the Austria captain. Australian referee Mark Shield took no action, however.

Schopp made it 3-2 to Austria in the 72nd minute after slack marking by Murdock allowed Mayrleb to set up the opening.

North manager Sanchez rang the changes by bringing on Elliott and Steve Jones for Murdock and Doherty.

Quinn was the booked for diving his second yellow card of the campaign and that rules him out of the England game in March.

Northern Ireland drew level in the fourth minute of injury-time when Quinn got on the end of Gillespie's cross and picked out Elliott, who knocked the ball in from close range.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Carroll, Aaron Hughes, Williams, Murdock, Gillespie, Whitley, Johnson, Doherty, McCartney, Healy, Quinn.

AUSTRIA: Manninger, Ibertsberger, Stranzl, Hiden, Pogatetz, Kiesenebner, Schopp, Kuhbauer, Mayrleb, Kirchler, Vastic.

Referee: Mark Shield (Australia)