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15/07/06: Today Northern Ireland hosted Scotland at Windsor Park which was tipped to be a very close encounter but turned out to be the complete opposite!
Northern Ireland kicked off playing left to right in their usual green top and white shorts. It was a slow start to the half with the only action of the first five minutes being Gray's tackle on a Scottish midfielder earning him a yellow card and making the rest of his match very cautious.
Things started to liven up when Scotland hit a great strike from twenty yards out but keeper, Jamie Hunter, was well able to hold onto the firesome shot.This kicked the Northern Ireland team into action as Niall Derry had the ball on the left of defence and pinged it nicely up the line to Damian O'Brien who had found some space out there. O'Brien took the ball with him beating the Scottish right back with his pace and whipping a great ball into his strike partner, Adam Dick who just couldnt direct the ball into the net, but things were looking good for N.Ireland now.
Finally the breakthrough came in the 33rd minute when left midfielder Ross Oliver ran up the flank then cut back in to lay the ball off to Dick who was in alot of space 12 yards from the goal, who picked his spot with his left foot quite easily. 1-0 to N.Ireland and very much so deserved.
Both teams then battled it out for the rest of the first half in the midfield area with 3 players being booked. O'Brien and Oliver for N.Ireland.
HALF TIME: N.IRELAND 1 - 0 SCOTLAND
Scotland kicked off the 2nd half but very carelessy as they gave the ball away straight away from the kick off as striker O'Brien nipped in to take the ball off the toes of the Scottish player. O'Brien automatically headed for the wing with the ball to make time for his team mates to get into the box. O'Brien got down to the corner flag where he cut back in and crossed the ball in and big Paul McNamara from Linfield headed the ball home.A great start to the second half from N.Ireand.
The N.Ireland defence where not tested at all so far really and kept the ball passing it among themselves and the midfield. Then another breakthrough came in the 71st minute with Adam Dick laying the ball off for his strike partner, O'Brien who bullishly hit the ball taking it into the top corner.
Northern Ireland really where in the driving seat now and two substitutions were made with Campbell and Oliver coming off for Sturgeon and Heatley.
Straight away Paul Heatley from Cliftonville got involved in the action winning a penalty after a bad foul was committed on him. Heatley himself did not take the penalty but left it to O'Brien who slotted it home to make it 4-0 and that is how the match ended. Great performance boys
N.IRELAND 4 - 0 SCOTLAND
TEAM: Hunter, Gray, Derry, Oliver, Campbell, Dick,McNamara, O'Brien, Black, Sterling, Douggan, Sproule. SUBS: Heatley, Sturgeon, Clements, Arkins, Mc Gonigle.
SCORERS: DICK, MCNAMARA, O'BRIEN(2)
