[Source: IFA website, Pictures: Gary Hancock]

NORTHERN Ireland Ladies lost 3-0 to Spain in their latest UEFA Championship qualifying game last night at the Newry Showgrounds.

The visitors got off to a blistering start with two goals inside the opening ten minutes.

Erika Vazquez Morales grabbed both goals with the first coming after the home defence was hesitant in dealing with a free-kick delivered from the left.

And she doubled her tally almost straight from the restart when she got on the end of a Ano Romero Moreno cross to send the ball beyond Emma Higgins.

Northern Ireland might have halved the arrears later in the half through Ashley Hutton whose header from a corner struck the crossbar before going behind.

However, Alfie Wylie’s side managed to hold their guests to those two goals until the 72nd minute when a cross from Itziar Gurrutxaga fell for Veronica Booquete Giadans some 18 yards from goal before being duly dispatched past Higgins.

Northern Ireland complete their campaign when Belarus visit at the end of July.

Northern Ireland: Higgins, McGovern, Bailie, Hutton, Nelson, Harkin, Turner, Hall, McFadden, Havelin, Vance subs Gillespie (replaced Turner 90), McCann (replaced McFadden 76), Caldwell (replaced Havelin 64)

Spain: Tira, Nicolau, Gimbert, Vesga, Torrejon, Bermudez, Romero, Gurrutzaga, Vasquez Morales, Dieguez de Ona, Boquette subs Garcia (replaced Nicolau 85), Perez (replaced Bermudez 79), Tous (replaced Dieguez de Ona 74)

Referee: Christina Westrum Pedersen (Norway)