UPDATE 3-Soccer-Fallon heads New Zealand to 2010 World Cup

* Fallon header sends New Zealand to World Cup finals

* Paston saves second-half penalty (adds quotes)

By Greg Stutchbury

WELLINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Rory Fallon scored a first-half header to earn New Zealand a 1-0 win over Bahrain on Saturday, sealing the All Whites' place in the 2010 World Cup finals.

Goalkeeper Mark Paston saved a second-half penalty to preserve New Zealand's lead in the second leg of the Asia/Oceania World Cup qualifier after the first leg in Manama had ended 0-0 last month.

New Zealand, champions of the Oceania zone, had their only previous World Cup appearance in Spain in 1982.

"I've been very honest about the quality of this team," New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert told reporters. "They've all worked hard. We all backed the system and we truly believed it was good enough to win and they have gone and done it."

Fallon, whose father Kevin was assistant manager of the 1982 side, sealed their ticket to next year's finals in South Africa when he powered home Leo Bertos's corner in the final minute of the first half at a sold-out Westpac Stadium.

"I always fancy myself when the boys put the balls in and I have been scoring lately at my club so I just visualised it today and I knew I could do it," Fallon said.