The show is over for Worthington

Northern IRELAND coach Nigel Worthington admitted his frustration after referee Manuel Grafe’s “harsh” decision to award Konstantin Vassiljev’s winner for Estonia at Windsor Park.

Vassiljev fired home after Grafe overlooked an offside flag raised against Martin Vunk in the build-up, deeming the ball to have come off Northern Ireland captain Steven Davis. Replays supported that decision and Davis admitted the ball came off him to Vunk but Worthington, speaking after his side’s 2-1 defeat, said: “All I saw was the linesman’s flag go up, I turned around to get a bottle of water and all of a sudden the ball’s in the net. I saw the flag, the players saw the flag and stopped and the ball’s carried on.”

The result ended Northern Ireland’s slim hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012.