A goal from Chris Casement capped a rousing fightback by Northern Ireland and gave them a share of the spoils in Tuesday night's friendly at Portadown.

The Wycombe defender got on the end of a flick from Jonny Taylor following a free-kick by Martin Donnelly to head home in the 71st minute.

It was no more than Steve Beaglehole's side deserved for a fine second-half display in front of a healthy home crowd.

Ukraine took the lead in the 36th minute from the penalty spot after Scott Gibb was penalised by referee Lee Evans for a challenge on Roman Zozulia.

Levgenenii Konoplianka showed good composure to send goalkeeper Trevor Carson the wrong way from the spot.

But the visitors, who managed a draw against European Championship finalists Serbia last week, found themselves on the back foot for most of the second half before Casement's deserved equaliser.

Northern Ireland made a bright start and Josh McQuoid evaded a couple of stiff challenges only to see his cross cut out after nine minutes.

Then Robin Shroot cut inside on the half hour but failed to test the goalkeeper with his effort.

Ukraine took the lead six minutes later but Northern Ireland hit back and a shot from Corry Evans whistled narrowly past the post in stoppage time.

They maintained the momentum and substitute Martin Donnelly headed narrowly over the bar in the 47th minute and Curtis Allen followed suit seven minutes later.

Donnelly then saw a free-kick superbly tipped over the top by the Ukraine goalkeeper.

The visitors were struggling to get out of their own half and McQuoid should have equalised in the 62nd minute but sent his header over the bar.

Northern Ireland then got their reward thanks to Casement's effort and they are proving difficult to beat after getting the better of Scotland last November.

Teams:

N Ireland U21: Carson, Casement, Cathcart, Gibb, Lafferty, Evans, Garrett, Chapman, McQuoid, Shroot, Allen.

Subs Not Used: O'Neill, McMenamin, Taylor, Lawrie, Flynn,

Donnelly, McLean.

Goals: Casement 72.

Ukraine U21: Kanibolitskiy, Fartushnyak, Rakitskiy, Stepanenko, Selin, Chesnakov, Morozyuk, Konoplienka, Holodyuk, Furta,Dmitriy Zozulya.

Subs Not Used: Kychak, Sakhnevich, Matveev, Yarmolenko, Rodina,

Kurilov, Postupalenko.

Goals: Konoplienka 36 pen.