Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy hopes to patch up Wimbledon's Mark Williams to face Spain at Windsor Park tomorrow night. The centre half was not able to take full part in yesterday's training session because of a painful foot injury.

McIlroy is desperate to have Williams available because his squad has been ravaged by injuries and he hopes he will be able to play with the aid of a painkilling injection.

"Hopefully he will be a bit better tomorrow because I'm now down to the bare bones and I've got no defenders left. I'm not keen on players having injections, but the situation is so desperate we may have to patch him up and get him out there."

McIlroy's problems worsened yesterday when skipper Jim Magilton failed to join up with the squad because of a family problem. McIlroy has given him until today before he calls up a replacement.

The doubts over Williams and Magilton are the last thing McIlroy needs as he struggles to put a side together to face World Cup-bound Spain, who will be at full strength.

Earlier yesterday Celtic's Neil Lennon became the sixth player to withdraw injured with a recurrence of his knee problem. Lennon joins Michael Hughes, Peter Kennedy, Danny Griffin, Paul McVeigh and Philip Mulryne on the injured list, while Steve Lomas is suspended. In all McIlroy is without 11 players because of injury, suspension and club commitments.

And just to limit his options further, Bournemouth, who must beat Wrexham in their final game on Saturday to have any chance of avoiding relegation from the second division, have requested striker Warren Feeney does not play the full 90 minutes.