Toshack positive despite being held up North

NORTHERN IRELAND showed their stubborn side last night as Wales, who face the Republic of Ireland next month, lacked inspiration and failed to fire at a freezing Windsor Park.

Stripped of record scorer David Healy, Lawrie Sanchez’s side managed to keep a clean sheet against the Welsh.

Northern Ireland substitute Grant McCann came closest to breaking the deadlock, his shot cannoning off the bar. With Ryan Giggs ruled out, Wales looked rudderless. Craig Bellamy, as a lone striker, faded after a bright opening spell.

Still, Wales boss John Toshack was pleased by his makeshift defence’s performance.

Toshack said: “The way the defence performed is a big plus.”

Explaining the absences of Gareth Bale and Ryan Giggs, Toshack said: “We want Ryan for the next Euro 2008 qualifier in Dublin against the Republic of Ireland next month. That is far more important.

“The same goes for Gareth Bale. I hope they are both fit and ready for the game in Dublin. We don’t need to see them anyway to know what they can do.” Wales were caught on the hop after three minutes when Kyle Lafferty escaped his marker but fired straight at Danny Coyne.

Wales responded and Bellamy sent in a testing cross. Michael Duff got in a wayward header that drifted past his own post.

Bellamy set up Jason Koumas but he scuffed his shot wide of the post in the 13th minute.

Brunt almost made the breakthrough in the 28th minute when he cracked in a shot Coyne did well to parry.

In the second half McCann almost put the North ahead three minutes after coming on. Set up by Lafferty, he shot beyond Coyne but his effort came back off the bar. Brunt rifled a powerful shot wide in the 66th minute in a good spell of pressure.

Sanchez threw on strikers Peter Thompson and Dean Shiels in the 68th minute but to no avail.

Keith Gillespie was putting in a hard shift for Northern Ireland but his cross hit the side-netting in the 73rd minute — the last meaningful action of the game.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Taylor (Ingham 46), Duff, Craigan (Webb 79), Hughes, Capaldi, Gillespie, Davis, Clingan (McCann 60), Brunt, Lafferty (Thompson 68), Sproule (Shiels 67).

WALES: Coyne, Duffy, Evans, Collins, Nyatanga, Davies, Koumas, Robinson, Parry (Crofts 80), Vaughan (Cotterill 46 [Easter 70]), Bellamy.

Referee: C Richmond (Scotland).