Second-half skipper

By Chris O'Brien
March 31 2015

On a sensational weekend for the Home Nations, United's Jonny Evans featured for Northern Ireland in a hugely important 2-1 win over Finland at Windsor Park.

Kyle Lafferty bagged a first-half brace as Michael O'Neill's men dare to dream of qualifying for Euro 2016.

Evans was a second-half substitute, and took on the role as captain, with McNair an unused replacement. This key win leaves the Ulsterman sitting second in Group F, and only a single point behind leaders Romania.

Meanwhile, Wales are also phenomenally well-placed to enter the expanded tournament, as they target qualification for a major finals for the first time since 1958.

Chris Coleman's side easily brushed aside Israel with an accomplished display away from home. Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsay, two men once linked with moves to United, were on the scoresheet in a 3-0 win.

Further to England's 4-0 win on Friday evening, Scotland made it a clean sweep for the Home Nations with a comfortable win over Gibraltar, smashing home six goals.

Though the Scots suffered a setback - becoming the first nation to concede a competitive, full international goal to the British Overseas Territory - they also had much to cheer, with Steven Fletcher becoming the first Scot to bag an international hat-trick in over four and a half decades.

Gibraltar deserve a big shout out for grabbing that goal, by the way. Lee Casciaro delighted the visiting supporters with a first-half equaliser. The Lincoln Red Imps frontman has chalked his name into the footballing history of Gibraltar, with its population of only 30,000. On this fine weekend for the British nations, we give Casciaro the final word.