Sanchez hails North after Healy’s Windsor winner

NORTHERN IRELAND manager Lawrie Sanchez hailed his side’s powers of recovery as they entered the winter recess in a healthy position after beating Latvia 1-0 at Windsor Park.

David Healy’s first-half goal earned them the three points which moves them to seven points from four games, and Sanchez felt the team’s response after a 3-0 defeat to Iceland in their opening Euro 2008 qualifier had been magnificent.

Northern Ireland are now third in Group F. Asked if the win had given his side a chance to qualify, Sanchez said: “It’s a long way, but what we’ve done after a poor start is recover very well and credit goes to the players.

“The fans have been great to me but what I say to the fans is ‘concentrate on the team’. They are the ones who deserve it and who have got seven points out of the last nine.

“We’re going to have a great five months looking at that table. Latvia tried to get at us but we defended very well. How can you be disappointed when you’ve won at Windsor Park?”

Northern Ireland made a decent start and Kyle Lafferty tried his luck from an acute angle in the 16th minute but failed to test Latvia goalkeeper Aleksandrs Kolinko.

Healy almost made the breakthrough in the 32nd minute but his header was deflected to safety following good work by Gillespie and Clingan.

But the Leeds striker was rewarded in the 35th minute when he made the game’s decisive breakthrough.

Gillespie started the move and Healy calmly lifted the ball over Smirnovs before slipping it past Kolinko, who had come out to narrow the angle.

It was another goal of quality from the forward and came on the back of his hat-trick against Spain.

Northern Ireland could have doubled their advantage a minute later – but Lafferty dragged his shot wide.

Lafferty was then booked for a challenge on Kacanovs.

Healy caused Latvia problems with his pace and movement in trying to extend the North’s lead.

He almost got a second goal on the hour when he whipped in a shot which Kolinko deflected.

Birmingham ‘keeper Maik Taylor came to the rescue in the 72nd minute, bravely saving from Karlsons.

Clingan then made space 20 yards out – but he scuffed his shot wide with Gillespie also off target.

James Quinn won his 50th cap when he replaced Lafferty with two minutes to go as the Northsaw the game out.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Taylor, Baird, Craigan, Hughes, Evans, Gillespie, Davis, Johnson, Clingan, Healy (Feeney 90), Lafferty (Quinn 88).

LATVIA: Kolinko, Stepanovs, Astafjevs, Zirnis, Laizans, Kacanovs, Solonicins (Visnjakovs 85), Smirnovs (Gorkss 45), Verpakovskis (Kalnins 78), Karlsons, Pahars.

Ref: Helmut Fleischer (Germany).