GEORGIA upset the odds to leave Cardiff with a well-deserved point and they so nearly punished a sloppy Wales performance by taking all three.

Everything seemed to be going to plan for Chris Coleman’s men in this World Cup qualifier as Gareth Bale headed them into a 10th-minute lead.

But they failed to build on that early momentum and a hint of complacency seemed to set in that led to the visitors growing in confidence with every passing minute.

They were level just before the hour mark and looked the side more likely to find a winner in the latter stages.

It means Wales have still not beaten Georgia in four attempts and suggests the road to Russia in 2018 may not be as straightforward as some fans thought after the heroics of the summer.

Despite having the heart of his side ripped out with the absence of Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen, Wales appeared to have far too much for the visitors in the early stages.

Coleman’s men raced out of the blocks with Bale, as ever, the centre of attention.

He so nearly connected with an Andy King cross from the right and, after another tempting centre from Chris Gunter was scrambled behind, he opened the scoring.

The Real Madrid star was surrounded by three defenders but he climbed higher than all of them to head in Joe Ledley’s corner and ease any early tension inside a packed Cardiff City Stadium.

It took Bale’s international tally to 25 – three behind Ian Rush’s Welsh record – and continued his remarkable run of 22 goals in his last 34 caps after scoring just three in his first 30 appearances.

And as the sun shone he looked likely to add to his collection with almost every attack.

But there were also warning signs that Wales would not have it all their own way.

Empoli striker Levan Mchedlidze was wrongly flagged offside as he raced onto a long ball forward with only Wayne Hennessey to beat.

Jano Ananidze curled a free-kick onto the top of the bar and Valerian Gvilia shot straight at Hennessey when attempting to find the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

As half-time approached Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Loria was nearly embarrassed as he spilled a weak effort from King and Sam Vokes headed wide from a Bale long throw.

After the interval David Edwards, in for the injured Allen, spurned an opportunity created by Bale and Neil Taylor – lifting his shot well over Loria’s bar.

And the visitors continued to threaten with Tornike Okriashvili showing neat footwork before dragging a shot wide.

Moments later they were level as Gunter failed to cut out a cross and Okriashvili got away from Taylor at the far post and expertly headed past a shocked Hennessey.

Coleman introduced Hal Robson-Kanu from the bench as the intensity – on the pitch and in the stands – ratcheted up several notches.

Bale went close with a free-kick but at the other end Ananidze forced Hennessey into a fine save with a low drive from 20 yards.

Then came an even bigger moment as Bale lost the ball on the edge of the Georgia box and after a rapid break Mchedlidze found himself one on one with Hennessey in the box but he rolled his shot well wide.

The crowd let out a collective sigh of relief but there were still more nervy moments at the back as Wales threatened to throw away a point in search of all three.

Gvilia fired just wide from distance before Valeri Kazaishvili smacked the bar and Okriashvili saw another effort deflected wide.

Robson-Kanu almost rescued a win as time ran out but he couldn’t guide his shot past Loria and in the end Wales were thankful to have at least a point from an afternoon that proved far more taxing than expected.

Wales: Hennessey, Taylor (Cotterill, 70), Davies, Williams, Chester, Gunter, King (Robson-Kanu, 61), Edwards, Ledley (Huws, 73) Bale, Vokes

Referee: Paulo Mazzoleni (Italy)

Attendance: 32,652

Argus star man: Bale