Tanya Oxtoby delighted as Northern Ireland keep their cool to take control of UEFA Women's Nations League play-off with victory in Montenegro

​Having finished third behind the Republic of Ireland and Hungary in League B, Oxtoby’s side have taken the first step towards preserving their status in the second-tier of the European competition with victory, but they had to demonstrate patience with the opening goal not coming until the 71st minute.

Vance, who provided the assist for Wade’s earlier strike, ensured Northern Ireland take a healthy advantage to Belfast on Tuesday by scoring in injury-time.

"We knew we'd have to grind them down," Oxtoby told BBC Sport. "We knew when we came here it was going to be a difficult game.

"They were going to put bodies behind the ball and they did it effectively.

"I'm really pleased with the performance and the determination in terms of making sure we stuck to our processes and what we were trying to do.

"We didn't get too frustrated and to get the win in the end is fantastic.

"It is easy to panic and I think that's the most pleasing thing about our performance.

"I think maybe three or four months ago, we would have just started lumping balls in the box, but we actually really tried to exploit the spaces with our movement, with our patterns and you know the second goal is a great example of that.

"I'm really, really pleased for the players as that shows progress in terms of what we're trying to do."

Defender Vance was one of six players from the Northern Irish Premiership involved in the victory with the 32-year-old netting just her fifth goal in 91 appearances by nodding home a cross from Rebecca McKenna.

"She will let me know about that goal for the whole trip home, and she'll probably have it on her phone and definitely show me 120 times," added Oxtoby. "We know Demi is versatile so you can push her further up the pitch after she started deeper.

"The quality she showed for the finish was sensational.

"I'm pleased for her and I'm sure she'll let me know just how wonderful it was."

Sarah McFadden could be an injury doubt for the return leg at Windsor Park after being forced off shortly into the second-half, but Oxtoby described the substitution as “precautionary”.

"It was more precautionary than anything else," she said. "We've got players that can come in and do a job.

"So from our point of view it gives an opportunity to someone else.

"It's a long trip back, but we'll assess her when we get back to Belfast and see where we're at in terms of the match itself."

"I think you can expect more of the same.

"It's going to be another difficult game for us to try and break them down.”

It’s a third victory in seven matches for Oxtoby since she was appointed Northern Ireland manager in August, following on from a 1-0 triumph over Albania in Belfast and an impressive 4-0 away win three months later.