Town recorded their third successive home draw after their game against Huddersfield ended goalless. David McGoldrick came closest to breaking the deadlock for the Blues in stoppage time, forcing a superb instinctive save from Terriers keeper Jed Steer, while Nahki Wells had the best chance for the visitors - who had sub James Vaughan red-carded in injury time - in the first half when Christophe Berra hooked his effort off the line.

Town boss Mick McCarthy made three changes from the team which lost 2-0 at Blackburn a fortnight ago with left winger Tommy Oar handed his full league debut.

The Australian international, who was making his first appearance at Portman Road, came in for Larsen Touré, who dropped to the bench, with Ryan Fraser, who missed the game at Ewood Park with an ankle problem, sidelined for two months with a knee injury.

Jonas Knudsen, who was ill at Blackburn, returned at left-back with Jonny Parr also amongst the subs. Up front, Brett Pitman replaced Daryl Murphy alongside Freddie Sears.

Town started brightly, Oar sending in a second minute cross which Pitman was only able to flick on towards Luke Chambers but Huddersfield left-back Jason Davidson cleared ahead of the Blues skipper.

Two minutes later, Ishmael Miller turned Tommy Smith on halfway after Maitland-Niles had lost possession and broke away into the area on the left but Berra got across to block his shot.

Play quickly moved to the other end and Oar whipped over a low cross from the left which Terriers skipper Mark Hudson cut out ahead of Sears.

With Oar off the field receiving treatment for a nose bleed after an early clash with Huddersfield keeper Steer, Miller again escaped down the visitors’ left flank on nine but rather wasted the opportunity by scraping a poor effort across the face of goal and wide.

The Terriers continued to have the better of it with the Blues giving possession away too easily with the ball rarely sticking up front.

There was an escape on 10 when Knudsen slipped allowing Sean Scannell to get away from him on the right but keeper Dean Gerken easily claimed his cross.

A minute later Chambers got his name in referee Andy Davies’s book for a trip on Harry Bunn with Huddersfield breaking following a Town attack.

Maitland-Niles hit a shot against a Huddersfield defender on the edge of the area on 26, Town’s first strike of the afternoon, albeit one of little consequence.

However, the Blues were starting to see more of the ball but without particularly threatening, while the home crowd were becoming increasingly frustrated by some of referee Davies’s decisions.

On the half hour a contentiously freekick awarded against Maitland-Niles almost led to Huddersfield taking the lead. Miller flicked on a header and Wells, who scored three times in the two games against Town last season, lifted the ball over the advancing Gerken but Berra did superbly to get back to hook off the line.

Cole Skuse showed an impressive turn of pace to get back to muscle Scannell off the ball in the 34th minute having initially slipped, the Terriers again having broken quickly with Town short of numbers at the back. Shortly afterwards the Blues midfielder mis-hit an effort from distance which trickled through to Steer.

Three minutes later, Dean Whitehead, a Town target during his former Sunderland boss Roy Keane’s time in charge at Portman Road, was booked for a foul on Sears on halfway.

With the half in its final five minutes, Oar whipped in two dangerous freekicks from the right which Martin Crainie and then keeper Steer cleared. The Terriers also managed to deal with the latest in a number of Knudsen long throws, albeit at the third attempt.

The game remained goalless at the break with Huddersfield having gone closest to opening the scoring with the Wells chance that Berra hacked off the line.

The visitors had presented the greater threat throughout the half, particularly on the break, with Terriers keeper Steer having had a very quiet first half.

Oar’s first appearance at Portman Road lasted only 45 minutes with David McGoldrick replacing the Australian, who had found it hard to get into the game, at the start of the second half with Sears moving to the left.

McGoldrick hit a low effort through to Steer in the 54th minute after Maitland-Niles had laid the ball off to him but the Huddersfield keeper was again untroubled. Four minutes later Smith was booked for a foul on Miller on the halfway line.

Huddersfield put the Blues under pressure as the game moved towards the hour mark but were unable to create a serious chance. Then on 61 McGoldrick shot well over from distance. A minute later, Douglas was booked for a foul on Bunn.

Murphy replaced Pitman on 68, while for the Terriers Mustapha Carayol took over from Scannell, who had suffered a knock a few minutes earlier.

The Blues number nine made an immediate impact, feeding Sears, who hit a powerful low effort which forced Steer into his first proper save of the afternoon.

There was controversy moments later when Huddersfield keeper Steer kicked the ball out of play as one of his team-mates was injured. As he did so the player got up and Chambers, much to the annoyance of the visiting players, took the throw quickly to Maitland-Niles.

The on-loan Arsenal man crossed towards McGoldrick and Murphy but the offside flag was raised.

Joel Lynch headed Carayol’s corner over, then at the other end Douglas nodded a Maitland-Niles’s freekick over at the far post.

Town were having most of the ball as the game moved into its final 10 minutes but still without creating many significant openings.

On 81 McGoldrick cut a low cross back from he byline on the right to Douglas, who was tripped, the loose ball falling to Murphy, whose effort was stopped brilliantly by Steer.

However, it was all academic with the linesman indicating that the ball had gone out as McGoldrick crossed.

Huddersfield went close in the 84th minute when Davidson's freekick from the left fell to Emyr Huws on the edge of the box. Gerken saved his shot, but the loose ball fell to Terriers sub Vaughan. His effort looked set to be saved by Gerken until it was turned over by Lynch. With four minutes remaining Touré replaced Maitland-Niles.

Town continued to push, Skuse seeing a shot blocked after a Chambers cross from the right was blocked.

The Blues had a great chance to win it in injury time. Knudsen’s long throw from the right was cleared to Touré. The Guinean international’s shot took two deflections and fell to McGoldrick eight yards out but Steer instinctively stuck out a leg to divert it wide.

Huddersfield were reduced to 10 men in the closing stages when Vaughan needlessly threw the ball in Knudsen’s face as the pair argued over a throw. Referee Davies had no hesitation in brandishing his red card.

The former Canary’s dismissal was the final action of Town’s third home draw on the trot with the Blues now having gone four games at Portman Road since their last win, against Burnley on August 18th. Their most recent previous 0-0 draw was against Bolton at Portman Road in January.

Having been very much second best in the first half Town, who kept their third clean sheet of the season, were better after the break but without ever dominating or creating many openings.

The Blues improved after the introductions of McGoldrick and particularly Murphy and probably should have claimed all three points when the former Nottingham Forest man had his chance late on.

However, aside from that opportunity, Douglas’s header over was perhaps Town’s only other serious chance of the half and the visitors, who recorded their first clean sheet of the season, also might have won it via Vaughan’s rebound from Huws’s late shot.

Town, who have now won just once in seven league games, are up to 10th ahead of back-to-back away trips to Hull City on Tuesday and Forest next Saturday.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Skuse, Douglas, Maitland-Niles (Touré 85), Oar (McGoldrick 46), Pitman (Murphy 68), Sears. Unused: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Parr, Bru.

Huddersfield: Steer, Davidson, Cranie, Hudson (c), Lynch, Huws, Whitehead, Scannell (Carayol 68), Bunn, Wells, Miller (Vaughan 73). Unused: Murphy, Smith, Paterson, Dempsey, Billing. Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire). Att: 17,937 (Huddersfield: 395).

Photo: Action Images

GetWelwyn added 15:46 - Oct 18 Sorry to say this but it looks like only a couple of long term injuries are going to change things. Mick has dug his heels in and won't change willingly. Everybody can see that Douglas and Skuse are too similar and don't create or dominate enough. They are both defensive midfielders but don't actually make the defence any better. It might work if we were holding on to a lead in an away match but it doesn't work at home. Out of the two, I think Skuse needs to drop out, at least Douglas had a good run forward for an assist for the equaliser against Bristol City and he had a surge late on yesterday. Skuse had a long range effort that my grannie could have saved. He's had far too many games that he's just coasted through. It's either/or definitely not both. If McGoldrick is fit he must start every match, it's a no-brainer, especially at home. Maitland-Niles is due for a rest, he started off ok but hasn't done much lately. Time for an extended run for Toure or Bru. Whatever happens, we need someone who can take hold of midfield and run the game. Chambers has made too many mistakes, time for Parr. There's no point having players available and not playing them. Praise for Gerken, without him it would have been an embarrassing defeat. In the last four home matches, that's a defeat then three mediocre draws against mediocre teams where we didn't look like winning. Less than 18000 yesterday and it's only going to go down unless we show some adventure. I could easily have gone to sleep in the first half.

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LWNR2013 added 15:55 - Oct 18 Gcon .. great post. PJH and essex. .. agree. On reflection yesterday was woeful. I was cold and annoyed walking back to the car. Patience and belief is for me not booing ITFC.
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Devontractor added 16:07 - Oct 18 Glol at some of the nonsense posted on here. Go back to playing computer football fantasy games and leave the real business to the professionals that understand not only the game, but the physcology of dealing with men on a bad run.MM will turn it around. Worth noting our greatest successes came when there was stability at the top of the club - not an unusual scenario in football.

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jas0999 added 16:13 - Oct 18 I find it bizarre that certain posters have so little ambition. So what if we overachieved last year? The point is we had an excellent opportunity to build on that by spending some of the Mings money on quality additions. Fraser aside, the management failed to deliver. We ended up with Coke and Toure. Other clubs end up with some excellent quality additions. Not cheap players, but not overly excessive either. Why do 'real fans' have to be 100% positive all of the time!? I don't get it. Few could be pleased with our recent run which is disappointing at best. It's called stating an opinion, and I find it unreasonable some posters post 'not a real fan' for stating an opinion. I am a season ticket holder and spend hundreds a year travelling to and from PR. When I hear MM state 'whilst the fans keep calling for these players to come on, the less likely it is' (referring to Bru and Didz), then that only leads me to believe he is being pig headed and stubborn. It infuriates me and certainly enough to question his judgement.

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blueboy1981 added 16:51 - Oct 18 jason0999 ............. or indeed his commitment to the Club .... !!! Not many Managers would show that kind of disrespect for Club, or Supporters - and get away with it.
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Seasider added 17:01 - Oct 18 Guessed this would happen when saw team sheet. McCarthy's pre match remarks:- Were going back to basics. When I was left out at Barnsley I left the club. If I had a bad game(didn't think you did Mick),I thought right,head it,kick it,snarl and bite. With an attitude like that being instilled upon our players,dont think we shall see any Arsenal type football while this man is in charge. As for game Miller their best player especially down our right side (of course).Chambers stranded up field at least three times leaving poor Tommy Smith to take rap.Also failed to tackle Bunn on one occasion;and as usual had a poor game,getting booked .Even showed poor sportsmanship by taking quick throw in when Huddersfield had kicked ball out because one of their players injured.Not a Captains example. Skues and Douglas as usual passing side ways and backwards.Douglas also put free header over.However noted that he is being asked to play in a more defensive role by MM. When highlights(were there any),shown by Football League shown on website afterwards,commentator mentioned a couple of time about slow build up.# Afterwards this stubborn Yorkshireman who has now managed our once great club for 3 years,said he was pleased with Skues and Douglas who had both been good. Have been watching games now at PR for over 50 years,and this is the most unentertaining football I have witnessed,on a par(yes where was Jonathan yesterday),with John Duncan,Roy Keane and Paul Jewell;so have we progressed since ME took us over?Not a lot I would say. Spoke to several including Carl Fuller(EADT columnist Monday),and heard many others on Radio Suffolk etc,and not one person had anything positive to say about this match. If this situation continues I suggest we all descend on the Supporters AGM(Season ticket holders etc who are eligible)and put these points to the Manager.He will probably tell us if we don't like it we can"foxtrot Oscar"!!!

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Bob7881 added 17:04 - Oct 18 I had to eat humble pie when he got us to the playoffs but I still stick to what I first thought MM is not the right man for us. The only thing ive learnt is Evans is crap at choosing managers.
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roytheboy added 17:52 - Oct 18 Could we now try playing proper football on the grass Mick, as the other type isn't working very well at all, there is very little accuracy in all this aerial passing and playing hoof ball is not generating much either, please have a good rethink about what we need in midfield also because it is not doing much to supply the strikers or to protect the defenders, we have some very good players but we are not playing as a team and not playing creative football, changes are urgently required, COYB.

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sir_george_burley added 18:09 - Oct 18 Fans need to be more realistic and fairer. Understandable frustration is resulting in blind spots and in harshness to Mick and Terry. Here goes with my thoughts on the team. Even when Gerken plays well enough he is damned for not being Bart (though I was surprised that Bart's sad absence seems to have cost him his place). Knudsen isn't Mings or Cresswell but looks promising and needs to stay in the team to improve. Chambers is no right back but we don't know what Parr would be like (Mick sees him in training) and it is very hard to drop the captain. Smith and Berra have, taking the last 12-months together, been good far more often than weak so moving Chambers in there is a big gamble and could be harmful. Bru was injured and has probably not been back to full form and Bishop is unavailable, as is Hyam — so the creative midfield options are limited. Using the width of Fraser and M-N was working well but Fraser's injury has spoiled that and here we are trying to adjust to another important injury. Taking injuries and new players into account in the first quarter of this season, I just don't think that the lists of changes set out by so many on here are cut and dried and I don't think Mick and Terry are properly represented here as either arrogant or incompetent in their selections. The fact that some are saying we'd be better with Keane and are then up-rated shows that the frustration is beating good sense for some. We're only a few points from the third place and we have a good squad. I'll be at Hull and I'll be reasonably optimistic — and rooting for the team. All the away fans behave superbly every match, whatever their worries and fears. Come on home fans and do your bit.

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essex57 added 19:14 - Oct 18 Well said Sir George a bit of reasoned calm is called for anybody can make calls for this change or that when they haven't got to stand by the consequences of their actions.
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wayway added 20:57 - Oct 18 While we have supporters like Gcon this club will always be 2nd rate. This support the manager whatever he does nonsence really gets up my nose. So we reached the play offs last season by the back door, that team still needed a top class keeper, a decent right back, a commanding central defender, and a p.aymaker in central midfield. We get an 8 million windfall and what do we get? Douglas, Coke, Toure and the rest of the 3rd rate dross our beloved leader signed. And I thought John Duncan was bad

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BillBlue added 10:40 - Oct 19 Well said Oldegold. I posted yesterday dealing with PJH's stupid comment but it doesn't seem to have posted. I actually used an innocuous word such as pxe'd in it so perhaps he had it removed?
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BillBlue added 11:27 - Oct 19 Following my comment above, this is the post which was removed, probably through having an innocuous word in it, which has been removed. PJH - without being rude you are the silliest person I have ever encountered on here. With your constant pretending about not seeing 'The Light', or not knowing what it is, you are ridiculing yourself then, going on to say, 'you' can tell the true Town supporters which is obviously untrue because they are the very people you constantly disagree with! Do I go to matches - NO, very unfortunately, I do not. So far as I am concerned it should be a privilege to go to see the Town play, or it used to be, but from what I read on here that might not be so today and that is a tragedy confounded by the cost of the tickets so why don't you make an effort to mature and start reading what your fellow supporters opinions are and stop automatically disagreeing with them, that way this forum would be a lot less boring?

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warkthelint added 22:53 - Oct 19 pjh and essex57 should form a mutual admiration club - Town's dimmest supporters by far
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