England were millimetres from a shock Euro 2012 qualifier defeat against Group G table-toppers Montenegro after the visitors’ left-back Milan Jovanovic hammered a dipping 25-yard left-footer against the crossbar on 82 minutes.

Six minutes earlier, Jovanovic was lucky to escape being the villain of the piece when he handled an Ashley Cole cross in his own penalty area and the referee and a well-placed assistant left the offence unpunished.

But England created little, despite utter territorial dominance, against a very well-drilled Montenegrin defensive unit.

Peter Crouch headed over a Glen Johnson cross on 16 minutes and Johnson’s namesake Adam fired a long-range free-kick narrowly wide ten minutes later as England failed to spark in a dismal opening half.

Matters improved after half-time with Wayne Rooney forcing two decent saves from Montenegrin keeper Mladen Bozovic.

His first chance was created by a superbly threaded Steven Gerrard pass; his second was a snapshot with the outside of his right foot after a loose ball broke to him 12 yards out.

After Jovanovic’s busy six minutes, Bozovic saved well low to his right from Gareth Barry. But England fashioned nothing more and were held scoreless at the new Wembley for the first time.