Keith Gillespie is one of three more players to withdraw from Northern Ireland's squad for their World Cup Group Nine qualifier in Portugal on Saturday. Gillespie failed a fitness test on his groin yesterday afternoon and manager Bryan Hamilton said: "Keith has a problem with his groin, which is something he has felt for a little while.

"He was not 100 per cent and the doctor and the physio had a look at him and we decided to send him back to his club."

Wigan centre half Pat McGibbon and Chester full back Iain Jenkins, who was only called into the squad yesterday as a replacement for Danny Griffin, have also dropped out. McGibbon has a knee problem, while Jenkins hurt his ankle.

Hamilton is also without Phil Gray, who withdrew on Monday with an ankle injury, and goalkeeper Tommy Wright, who pulled out on Tuesday with a recurrence of his thigh complaint.

But Hamilton had better luck with Newcastle's teenage centre-half Aaron Hughes, Watford midfielder Peter Kennedy and St Johnstone striker George O'Boyle who have been added to the squad.

St Johnstone goalkeeper Alan Main has been called up by Scotland for the first time with Andy Goram sidelined through a knee injury.

Goram's withdrawal was a blow for manager Craig Brown but he received good news on two fronts yesterday as he prepared for the Group Four game against Latvia at Parkhead on Saturday.

Blackburn midfielder Billy McKinlay and Rangers striker Ally McCoist are both on the mend and took part in a light training session after ankle and hamstring injuries respectively.