WALES now have a mountain of Snowdonian proportions to climb if they are to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany after an astonishing 2-2 draw with Northern Ireland at the Millennium Stadium last night.

After a bad-tempered British battle royal, in which Northern Ireland had two players sent off and Wales one (Robbie Savage), the result means Mark Hughes' side now go to Old Trafford to face England next month with just two points from supposedly their two easiest matches in Group Six.

The Wales boss though is refusing to give up hope of making the finals.

He said: "The initial twenty minutes were ridiculous in many respects. Savage was the victim of a terrible tackle. Why the referee wanted to send him off I have no idea and it completely changed the game. You try to foresee things but you could not foresee that.

"It is not the result we wanted, we wanted to win all our home games and we haven't done that, but it is still early days and there is a lot more football to come."

The opening twenty minutes of the match were as chaotic as you are ever likely to see in a football match.

Wales started nervously and could have gone behind early on when James Quinn headed just wide while 'keeper Paul Jones was lucky to escape an early bath when he handled the ball outside his area.

But then the match began to heat up and soon it was to ignite totally.

Barely ten minutes were on the clock when Savage broke down the left only to be brutally sliced down by a two-footed assault from behind by Northern Ireland's Michael Hughes. Cue absolute bedlam.

Savage reacted in typical fashion, leaping up and grabbing a hold of Hughes' shorts only to be felled for a second time by a strong push.

As both sets of players piled in, referee Domenico Messina dished out red cards to both Hughes and Savage.

It was harsh on the Birmingham player and his first sending off was met with a flood of tears.

But soon it was Wales' defence which was opening the flood-gates for two minutes later Northern Ireland's Jeff Whitley picked up a James Collins headed clearance to fire home a half-volley from the edge of the box.

Wales retaliated with Ben Thatcher belting a fierce volley that was well saved by Mark Taylor but the madness at the back continued and after 21 minutes it was again Cardiff City's Newport-born defender James Collins who was involved.

His slip allowed striker David Healy to skip by and clip the ball over the on-rushing Jones and nod the ball home, much to the despair of the Welsh crowd.

The chaos continued as Healy then ran off to celebrate, booted down the corner flag and then gave the Welsh supporters a rather ungentlemanly sign.

His insanity was reward with a pair of yellow cards followed by the obligatory red one and left his side with nine men with more than 65 minutes remaining.

Hughes threw on Robert Earnshaw and it was not long before they were back in it as John Hartson got on the end of a Craig Bellamy cross to head the ball into the corner of the net.

Half-time and a chance to lie down soon arrived and it was expected that Wales would go out and turn the result around with their numerical advantage.

Hughes' side continued to press but were met by a green and white wall and too often possession was gifted away while Wales looked susceptible to a goal on the break.

Paul Jones had to be smart as the impressive Tony Capaldi went close, and Danny Gabbidon was lucky not to give away a penalty as he tripped the same player, but the Wales pressure finally paid off with 15 minutes remaining.

After a lot of hopeful balls, John Oster threw in a snappy cross and Earnshaw leaped to head the ball for the equaliser.

A winner should have been forthcoming but too often the ball was simply hoofed forward in desperate fashion, though Wales almost clinched it in the dying moments when the lively Bellamy managed to breach the Northern Ireland defence and slide a ball across the goalmouth.

Arriving late was defender Collins but the chance to atone for his earlier error was, like a victory, just out of reach.

Wales: Jones, Delaney (Earnshaw 28), Collins, Gabbidon, Thatcher (Parry 63), Oster, Savage, Speed, Koumas, Bellamy, Hartson. Subs not used: Melville, Page, Pembridge, Taylor, Crossley. Booked: Hartson (45 foul). Sent off: Savage (10 violent conduct).

Northern Ireland: Taylor, Aaron Hughes, Murdock, Williams, Capaldi (McCartney 90), Johnson, Clyde, Whitley, Michael Hughes, Healy, Quinn (Smith 57), Smith (McVeigh 89). Subs not used: Carroll, Craigan, Jones, Elliott. Booked: Taylor (54 time wasting), Capaldi (80 foul). Sent off: Michael Hughes (9), Healy (22). Attendance: 63,500 Referee: Domenico Messina (Italy).