England's hopes of a successful Euro 2012 qualifying campaign suffered a setback in Wembley as they were held to a 0-0 draw by football minnows Montenegro.
In a result that is certain to see renewed pressure on England coach Fabio Capello, Montenegro held on to secure a precious point to remain top of Group G with 10 points from four games.
England, forced to field a third choice strikeforce comprising Wayne Rooney and Peter Crouch following injuries to Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent, paid the price for failing to turn possession into goals.
England's players were also furious with German referee Manuel Grafe, who waved away appeals for what looked like a certain handball on 77 minutes when Milan Jovanovic clearly controlled with his arm in the box.
Montenegro, who only began playing international football in 2007, celebrated wildly at the final whistle with a small pocket of fans at Wembley as boos rang out around the stadium.
Yet England could have few complaints after a lacklustre display that leaves them with little margin for error if they are now to successfully qualify for the 2012 finals.
England dominated the opening exchanges but for all their wealth of possession were unable to threaten Mladen Bozovic in the Montenegro goal, who barely had to make a save in the first half.
England's best chance of the half fell to Crouch after only three minutes, when the Tottenham striker just failed to connect a leg to a defence-splitting pass threaded through by Steven Gerrard.
Manchester winger Adam Johnson always looked the likeliest player to fashion an opening for England, repeatedly beating fullback Jovanovic with ease only for the final ball to let him down.
At the other end, England goalkeeper Joe Hart was a virtual spectator for the first 45 minutes, hardly touching the ball as a toothless Montenegrin attack missing Mirko Vucinic failed to trouble the home defence.
The second period followed the same pattern as the first, England starting brightly but unable to turn their dominance into goalscoring opportunities.
Gerrard twisted and turned down the right-hand side only to see his rasping cross fly across the face of goal.
Montenegro meanwhile were increasingly willing to incur the wrath of referee Grafe, Stefan Savic and Marko Basa both being booked in quick succession for fouls on Ashley Cole and Ashley Young.
The niggling tactics proved too much for Rooney, who also saw yellow for a petulant trip on Elsad Zverotic.
Rooney, struggling to impose himself on proceedings, should have done better on 59 minutes when played in by Gerrard, only to see his low shot saved by Bozovic, who gathered before Crouch could reach the rebound.
Moments later England had appeals for a penalty waved away when Young went tumbling over after a challenge from Miodrag Dzudovic. An unimpressed Grafe booked Young for diving instead.
An ill-tempered passage of play then saw Gareth Barry booked for a rugged aerial challenge on substitute Mladen Kascelan, who received a yellow of his own shortly afterwards for upending young.
Capello's decision to replace the ineffectual Crouch with Bolton Wanderers veteran Kevin Davies almost paid immediate dividends when the striker managed to hold up a sweeping Glen Johnson pass.
But when the ball fell kindly to Rooney, the out-of-sorts Manchester United striker could only blast his shot straight at Bozovic as a golden chance went begging for Capello's men.
After England saw their penalty appeals rejected for Jovanovic's apparent handball, they launched a furious late challenge. Barry went close as the clock ticked down but Montenegro held on.