Montenegro 1-0 Wales: Daily Mirror match report

Wales failed to get the Church on in time as they fell to an unlucky defeat in Montenegro.

Substitute striker Simon Church, a 78th-minute replacement for Steve Morison, was twice denied in a frantic finish in Podgorica.

First he saw a header rebound off the bar after connecting with a Gareth Bale cross.

Then the Reading man was flagged offside when he stabbed home a rebound after Robert ­Earnshaw had a shot saved.

Mirko Vucinic took the honours with the winner on the half-hour.

The Roma striker, linked with both Manchester clubs earlier this year scored from a narrow angle.

Montenegro carved out numerous clear-cut chances in an enterprising display – which will serve a warning to England next month – but John Toshack’s Wales almost grabbed a point in a furious late finish.

Prior to that Montenegro had carved out all the best openings at the Gradski Stadium and impressive captain Vucinic could easily have had a hat-trick.

Wales were largely ­frustrated at the start of a campaign they were ­beginning with much ­optimism, with the ­threatening Bale marked out for particularly close ­treatment.

Yet the home side’s ­determination to stop the likes of Bale and Craig Bellamy could not detract from a display full of attacking vigour and intent.

And Montenegro, who are coached by former Croatia boss Zlatko Kranjcar, the father of Bale’s Tottenham team-mate Niko, were without another dangerous striker, Stevan Jovetic.

Montenegro looked sharp and had the first effort on goal when their direct approach created a chance for Elsad Zverotic but his effort flew over.

Joe Ledley had a similarly misdirected shot for Wales as the visitors launched a quick counter-attack. Wales survived a scare when Sam Ricketts slipped allowing Simon Vukcevic to get in a fierce shot.

Wayne Hennessey palmed the ball behind then leapt to punch away the resulting corner.

Wales responded with Bellamy breaking free down the right and firing in a cross but Ledley failed to trouble Mladen Bozovic with his header. Intricate play then allowed Bale to weave his way into the box with a tricky run down on the right but his cross was scrambled clear.

Montenegro began to up the tempo as Radomir Djalovic shot narrowly wide from 30 yards and a cross-shot from Vukcevic flew untouched across the face of goal.

Vucinic then spurned a glorious chance when he headed wide from an unmarked position in front after being picked out by Savo Pavicevic following a rampaging run.

Hennessey then needed to be alert to beat out a shot from Boskovic after neat interplay with Vucinic and Djalovic on the edge of the area.

There was an inevitability about Montenegro’s goal on the half-hour as Roma striker Vucinic showed the quality that has made him one of the hottest properties in Serie A. He beat James Collins with a quick turn of pace and then unleashed a powerful left-footed shot which rebounded off the near post and went into the net.

Wales tried to respond but Morison had a penalty appeal turned down for a push and Bellamy sliced a shot well wide.

Vucinic almost grabbed a second on the stroke of half-time but James Collins just managed to get in the way of his shot.

It began to look like a set-piece might offer Wales their best hope of getting back into the game but Bale shot wide from 25 yards when a foul on Morison gave them an ­opportunity.

Bale, frustrated on the left after being given close ­attention by his markers, switched flanks.

He won a corner and then delivered a dangerous cross from which Ashley Williams forced anxious goalkeeper Mladen Bozovic to turn over his bar.

Bellamy tested Bozovic again seven minutes from time when he burst into the area on the right but his shot was turned away for a corner.

Cardiff’s on-loan forward then should have done better when he headed straight at Bozovic from Bale’s cross.

Then Church was twice denied in a frantic finish.

Vucinic should have claimed a second for Montenegro in injury time but Hennessey stood up well.