Worthington's side register first point

Group Three; Northern Ireland 0 Czech Republic 0:Northern Ireland secured their first point of the World Cup qualifying campaign despite the loss of the influential Steve Davis in the run-up to the Windsor Park match.

Rangers midfielder Davis left their training base and returned to his home in England to deal with a personal matter.

It was a blow for manager Nigel Worthington, given his side were facing a side ranked eighth in the world.

However, the province emulated England and achieved a gritty draw against the Czechs at rain-lashed Windsor Park.

And it was certainly a more confident performance than the one at the weekend when they went down to Slovakia in Bratislava.

The downside was a shoulder injury to Norwich midfielder Sammy Clingan and he did not appear in the second half.

Milan Baros should have put the visitors ahead on the stroke of half-time but headed wide following a cross from Zdenek Grygera.

Northern Ireland began the second half brightly and Cech did well to block Feeney's effort from an acute angle in the 51st minute.

Then Brunt spotted Cech out of his goal and tried to lob him from distance but his ambitious effort went wide.

Martin Paterson got on the end of an inswinging cross from Brunt but headed wide of the post - although Northern Ireland secured a hard-earned draw.