A Chris Baird own goal ten minutes into the second half ensured Northern Ireland emerged empty handed from the first part of their crucial Euro 2008 double-header tonight in Latvia.

The Northern Ireland skipper turned the ball into his net whilst attempting to beat Imants Bleidelis to a Maris Verpakouskis ball played across the face of goal but unfortunately he directed his clearance the wrong side of Maik Taylor's upright. It was a largely unavoidable goal, though, because if Baird hadn't connected to it Bleidelis surely would.

The defeat is a massive blow to our hopes of reaching the finals next summer but it was a result that did not reflect the balance of play. Northern Ireland dominated significant parts of the game but an uncharacteristic weakness in front of goal was ultimately to prove costly.

Keith Gillespie had the first effort of note on 27 minutes but after bursting through the midfield he finished poorly while, four minutes later, David Healy failed to trouble 'keeper Andris Vanins with an effort from the right side of the area while a later shot from the Fulham striker suffers the same fate.

After the break Latvia looked to be more in control but it was still Northern Ireland who looked the more likely to open the scoring when, on 53 minutes, Kyle Lafferty created some space on the edge of the area only for his effort to sail past the right hand upright. Unfortunately Northern Ireland were hit by that sucker punch a couple of minutes later, a goal Baird could really have done nothing about. And it might have been 2-0 on 63 minutes when Verpakouskis found himself clear only to slice his shot.

With the game moving into the final quarter Northern Ireland really needed to pull something out of the hat and they almost did so on 72 minutes when a Warren Feeney cross was met by the head of Healy but Vanins proved equal to the threat.

Then, on 81 minutes, a potentially dangerous Keith Gillespie cross was cleared by the home defence before a Chris Brunt effort a couple of minutes later snaps past the post.

Perhaps the chance of the game for the visitors came with a minute of normal time remaining when a Johnny Evans point blank header is superbly parried away by the Latvian keeper - a stunning reflex save because he mustn't have known much about it given the speed and power behind the ball. Ultimately it proved to be Northern Ireland's last real effort on goal.

A trip to Reykjavik awaits on Wednesday night, a game from which no less than a maximum return must be gleaned if Euro 2008 is to remain a reality.