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NORTHERN Ireland got their World Cup campaign back on track with a morale boosting four goal defeat of minnows San Marino at Windsor Park.

And what will be most pleasing to manager Nigel Worthington will be the fact that the goals were shared amongst the squad rather than depending on Nationwide man-of-the-match David Healy.

But it was Healy's 35th international goal that settled Northern Ireland's nerves after a lacklustre opening half-an-hour or so at Windsor Park.

He squeezed the ball below San Marino 'keeper Federico Valentini from around eight yards after George McCartney had delivered the ball from the left flank.

And Healy was involved again in the second just a couple of minutes from the break. Grant McCann blasted a left-foot drive beyond Valentini from the edge of the area after Healy had knocked the ball back when it looked as if the moment had passed.

Apart from the goals, though, it was a fairly tepid, uninspiring 45 minutes.

Northern Ireland, whom many had expected to stroll past the so-called minnows of European football seemed unable to breakdown the packed San Marino defence and as the half wore on both the players and the normally vociferous crowd seemed deflated.

Michael O'Connor had gone close on four minutes when he headed just over from close range while, seven minutes later, Keith Gillespie saw an effort blocked after Steve Davis had laid the ball back from a Kyle Lafferty cross.

But, in stark contrast to the opening exchanges, it didn't take long for Nigel Worthington's side to extend their lead further after the interval.

This time it was Laffery's turn to get his name on the scoresheet when he was on hand to slot home the rebound after Healy had saw an effort palmed away by Valentini on 56 minutes.

San Marino's night went from bad to worse nine minutes later following Mauro Marani's dismissal for hitting out at Michael O'Connor while the pair lay on the ground following a tussle.

Buoyed by this Northern Ireland turned their numerical advantage into another goal on 75 minutes when Davis knocked the ball home after Lafferty beat the offside trap to cross from the right.

The final tally could have been a lot higher, too. The visiting defence desperately scrambled away a Ryan McGivern header not long after while Valentini had to be at his best to turn over a McCartney header that seemed bound for the top corner.

Elsewhere in Group Three there were home wins for Slovakia and the Czech Republic over Poland and Slovenia respectively.

Northern Ireland: Taylor, McAuley, McCartney, Baird, O'Connor, Gillespie, Davis, Healy, Lafferty, McCann, Hughes subs McGivern (replaced McAuley 60), Mannus (not used), Gault (not used), Feeney (replaced Lafferty 82), Shiels (not used), Paterson (replaced McCann 72), Thompson (not used)

San Marino: F. Valentini, C. Valentini, M. Marani, Albani, Della Valle, Bacciocchi, Bonini, Mi. Marani, Ma. Marani, Selva, Vannucci subs Simonlini (not used), M. Vitaioli (replaced Selva 46), F. Vitaioli (replaced Bonini 76), Valli (not used), Nanni (not used), Cibelli (replaced Ma. Marani 84), Andreini (not used)

Referee: Petteri Kari (Finland)