Their goals helped Lawrie Sanchez's side record a first competitive home win in four years (almost to the day) and consolidate fourth spot in Group Six.

The sun was shining, the Green And White Army was in fine voice - this was a day when it seemed destined that nothing would go wrong.

But it very nearly did after barely seven minutes when a Samir Aliyev cross from the right deflected off Keith Gillespie before dropping the wrong side of the upright whilst another move saw Zaur Tagizade get in behind Tony Capaldi before the move fizzled out.

That aside the Azeris never really troubled the home defence and it wasn't long before Northern Ireland began to assert themselves.

James Quinn came close after 15 minutes with a header from a Damien Johnson cross only for the ball to be cleared.

Not long after Chris Baird floated the ball over for Stuart Elliott but his knock down drifted to safety.

Just after the half-hour Quinn found the net from another Johnson cross although this was ruled out for a foul on keeper Dmitri Kramarenko.

Quinn was involved in perhaps the chance of the half on 36 minutes when his through ball found Steve Davis only for the subsequent effort to drift agonisingly wide - and right on stoppage time Johnson crossed again but the ball proved to have too much bounce for both Quinn and Elliott.

The chances followed after the break with Stephen Craigan heading over on 56 minutes before, on the hour, Stuart Elliott fired Northern Ireland into a fully deserved lead with a well executed free-kick awarded for a foul on Johnson.

After that the visitors appeared to fall apart with Northern Ireland dominating to an ever increasing degree.

Johnson had an effort smothered by the keeper, David Healy was dispossessed at the last moment, Johnston headed narrowly wide .... and then, with six minutes remaining, Keith Gillespie was hauled down by Rafael Amirbekov as he darted into the area and a penalty was awarded to the home team.

With usual spot-kick expert Healy substituted a few moments earlier Elliott strode up to collect the ball only for Warren Feeney to wrestle it from his grasp, place it on the spot and slot it just inside Kramarenko's left post.

Northern Ireland: Taylor, Baird, Hughes, Craigan, Capaldi, Gillespie, Johnson, Davis, Elliott, Healy, Quinn
Substitutes: Ingham, Robinson (Elliott 89), Feeney (Quinn 72), Jones (Healy 79), Brunt, Sproule, Murdock