NEWPORT’S Chris Gunter insists Wales can go anywhere and win – even without Gareth Bale.

Friday’s 0-0 draw in Dublin means Wales remain third in their 2018 World Cup qualifying group, four points behind joint leaders Serbia and the Republic of Ireland at the halfway stage of the campaign.

Gunter and teammates go to Serbia for their next qualifier in June without Neil Taylor, who was shown a red card for a challenge that left Ireland captain Seamus Coleman with a broken leg on Friday.

And Bale will also be missing after picking up his second booking of the campaign in a bad-tempered contest at the Aviva Stadium.

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But Gunter, who won his 78th cap on Friday, believes Wales can still keep their qualifying hopes alive with a win in Belgrade.

“To get out of this group you're going to have win games in a row at some point,” said the Reading right-back.

“But we're only halfway through, it's effectively in our hands and we move on to the summer.

“Obviously Gaz will be missing but he'll be back for the remaining games. “If you are going to qualify for as World Cup it's never going to be easy, we'll be missing him. But we've missed important players in the past.

“He’s always said it's not a one-man team, for him to play well he needs the team. That won't change in the summer.

“It's up to us to fill that gap and go there and get a result.

“You'd rather him in your team but he's not there and it's up to go and get a result. We're more than capable with the squad we have to go and do that.”

Wales have won just once and drawn four of their five qualifying matches so far but Gunter says there is still time to turn things round and book a place at the World Cup in Russia.

“We've still got enough games to put a run of wins together,” he said.

“We'd liked to have picked up a couple more points but it's never easy to qualify. There are times when you don't win, we're still unbeaten and we’re not far away from turning these draws into victories.

“We're only halfway through and there are enough points to play for.

“Certainly we have to pick up points away from home,” he added.

“The fans would like us to be higher but they'll certainly stick with us. Even though it could be better we're not in the worst position we've ever been in.”

And the Euro 2016 semi-finalists have shown that they can win away from home.

“We've gone to places and won games,” said Gunter. “We've gone on runs and put wins together.

“If it needs to be a fight we can do that, and when we're on the ball we can show we're a good team as well.”

He added: “Sometimes away from home is different. Teams come to us now and show us a lot of respect and sit in.

“You saw it [on Friday] when every tackle was made and the crowd noise went up, people see it as a success when they stop us playing and they can break our rhythm.

“But we can go anywhere in this group and win, got to remember that and stay positive.”