The Plymouth Argyle striker scored just before half-time and Ricki Herbert's men held on to book their first trip to the World Cup since 1982.

Kiwi keeper Mark Paston was the hero of the night when he denied Bahrain a potentially match-winning second half penalty pulling off a superb save to deliver New Zeland their World Cup spot.

In front of a capacity crowd at Wellington's Westpac Stadium on Saturday night, the All Whites rose to the occasion to follow the heroes of 1982.

The 35,194 boisterous fans, the largest crowd to watch a football match in New Zealand, made their presence felt with a continuous cacophony that started well before the opening whistle and continued long after referee Jorge Larrionda blew for full-time.

The win gave the All Whites a 1-0 series aggregate following the scoreless draw in Manama on October 10.

The All Whites were under early pressure conceding two corners and having defender Ben Sigmund yellow-carded in just the third minute.

The home side gave Bahrain goalkeeper Sayed Mohammed Jaffar his first work out in the eighth minute when a Shane Smeltz header across the goalmouth from a Leo Bertos free-kick found captain Ryan Nelsen, but his looping header found the roof of the net.

Striker Chris Killen almost broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when he sent a delightful left-foot volley from the top of the penalty area beyond the Bahrain custodian but it came back off the cross-bar.

Soon after attacking midfielder Bertos, having made his presence felt with a number of early runs at the defence, sent a right-footed free-kick just wide of the Bahrain keeper's left-hand post.

All Whites goalkeeper Paston was on hand on the half-hour to dive low to his left and save a snap volley in front of goal by Bahrain front man Jaycee John.

Jaffar produced a superb reflex save from a goalbound header by Fallon with half-time closing in, with Bertos again involved in the play in providing the cross.

But that was all in vain in the 45th minute when from a Bertos corner, Fallon rose highest in the six-yard area to send a powerful header beyond Jaffar.

On the balance of play the All Whites half-time lead was well deserved, with Bertos and a forward-ranging Tony Lochhead providing most of the sting in the home side's attacking forays.

The drama intensified in the 50th minute when referee Larrionda pointed to the penalty spot after Lochhead fouled Abdulla Ismaeel Omar.

However, the combination of a poor strike from Sayed Mohamed Adnan and a sweetly-timed dive by Paston to his right kept the All Whites of the right side of the ledger.

All Whites captain Nelsen increasingly stamped his class on the match organising the defence as the visitors pushed forward in search of an equaliser.

Smeltz came close to doubling the tally with 20 minutes to play but his close-range strike flashed wide. Killeen sent an overhead kick on the six-yard box high over the cross bar with nine minutes remaining.

Desperate defence from All Whites defenders Ivan Vicelich and Nelsen spurred the home side on in the closing minutes. In the end it was one shot for glory, and Fallon and New Zealand, took it.