Sanchez happy with NI draw

Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez has expressed satisfaction at his side's 1-1 draw against Barbados in Bridgetown on Sunday.

Despite playing with ten men for the majority of the match following Mark Williams' 30th minute dismissal, Northern Ireland were still able to muster a 71st minute David Healy equaliser in this first of a three game Caribbean tour.

Before that, Sanchez' men had a James Quinn goal ruled out for pushing and a Healy penalty saved, however the manager was still happy with the result, although not so happy with the pitch or the referee.

Sanchez said: "The surface was not what we expected, to be honest. It really affected how we played. The referee also made some interesting decisions and that affected how the team related to him."

Barbados, who are placed higher in the world rankings than their European opponents, started the game the more lively and should have gone ahead at 10 minutes when Kenroy Skinner hit the woodwork.

Skinner was more fortunate 30 minutes later, however, when he latched on to a long throw from Barbados skipper John Parris and slipped the ball past goalkeeper Maik Taylor.

This was preceded by an innocuous challenge from Northern Ireland defender Mark Williams ten minutes earlier which led to an early bath for the Wimbledon stalwart.

However, the second half began more positively for the visitors as they began to exert more pressure on their mainly part-time opponents.

They were denied a gilt-edged chance when Healy hit the post with his 67th-minute penalty after defender Dwight James handled in the box. But the Preston North End striker was more fortunate five minutes later when he seized on to a loose ball after a scramble in the Barbados penalty box to fire home his 11th international goal.

Further half-chances were created by both sides in the latter stages but the game finished 1-1 in front of the small but enthusiastic crowd.

Northern Ireland's next game is on Wednesday against St. Kitts before they complete their three match tour next Sunday against Trinidad and Tobago.

(MB)