Town picked up their second away point of the week as they drew 0-0 with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Chances were rare at either end, but Marcus Tudgay hit the post for the home side in the first half and David Norris the bar for Town late on.
Jim Magilton made two changes from the team which drew 2-2 at Southampton on Wednesday. Skipper Gareth McAuley returned at centre-half in place of Pim Balkestein, while Veliche Shumulikoski took over from Tommy Miller in midfield. Perhaps surprisingly, Pablo Counago was left out of the 16.
Town, playing 4-4-2, started the stronger of the two sides, dominating possession. Alan Quinn, booed from the off by his old fans, sent in a freekick from the left in the fifth minute, but Gareth McAuley's header was blocked inside the six-yard box.
On eight, a poor pass by Owen Garvan to Gareth McAuley gave Marcus Tudgay a chance of a shot at goal from the edge of the area, but the former Derby man crashed his effort off the outside of the post. One-time Town trialist Jermaine Johnson followed up but failed to test Richard Wright.
Wednesday were handed a somewhat generous freekick by referee Mike Jones in the 17th minute when Johnson ran into Richard Naylor halfway inside the Town half. The ball was floated to the far post where an unmarked Tudgay headed over when he really should have scored.
In terms of possession there had been only one side in it, but the Blues could conceivably have found themselves two goals behind due to defensive errors. Town created their first serious chance two minutes later when neat work from Shumulikoski and Norris saw Stead hit a snapshot wide from eight yards.
Steve Watson caught Quinn in possession on halfway in the 26th minute and took the ball forward unchallenged to the edge of the box but struck a weak shot through to Wright.
On the half hour, Johnson flicked a header to Wright as the Blues started to lose control of what had become a scrappy game.
Quinn shot wide from 25 yards, then Richard Wright appeared to lose a cross from the right in the bright sun, allowing Johnson a header which looped well wide.
Jon Walters created a chance for Quinn with a left-wing cross in the 43rd minute, but the Irish midfielder could only manage a weak strike to the Sheffield Wednesday keeper Lee Grant.
It had been a disappointing half from both sides. The Blues had started the game passing the ball slickly but the Owls had quickly begun to close them down quickly and get men behind the ball when Town were in possession. All too often Blues attacks broke down in the centre of the field with few options wide.
After the break, Jim Magilton switched his side into the 4-5-1 formation used for much of the game at Southampton with Jon Walters moving to the right of midfield.
The game continued in the somewhat drab manner of much of the first half with nothing the way of penalty area action until David Norris's header from Alan Quinn's freekick was blocked inside the six-yard box.
Jermaine Johnson hit a shot through to Richard Wright, prior to an Owen Garvan cross being cleared to Quinn on the edge of the area, Grant doing well to save the midfielder's shot down to his right.
On 64 Quinn shot wide from 30 yards, then Walters unleashed a fearsome shot from just outside the area but too close to Grant. Town were gradually starting to get control of the game again with Norris becoming more and more influential and looking dangerous when breaking into the area from midfield.
Lisbie replaced Stead, the substitute immediately getting away on the right and sending in a cross which Walters diverted wide at the near post.
With 10 minutes remaining, Norris did brilliantly to carve out an opportunity inside the area, taking the ball over a defender before striking a shot which Grant appeared to touch on to the cross bar, the ball falling kindly for the home keeper.
Richard Wright failed to claim a cross above David Wright's head on 84, but Quinn cleared the danger, prior to former Town loanee Franny Jeffers coming on to boos from the Blues support.
Lisbie created a late opportunity for Norris, the midfielder somehow squeezing between two defenders to get in a shot which Grant blocked.
Town continued to push for the goal they probably just about deserved on the balance of play and the home side will probably have been the happier with the point.
The Blues played well in patches, but overall lacked penetration and creativity with Wednesday keeper Grant only forced into saves late in the second half. Town kept possession for long spells, but the likes of Stead and Walters were given few opportunities in front of goal.
At the other end, the Owls' only real chances were Tudgay's first half shot against the post and his header over, both of which were the result of Town defensive errors.
Overall, a second away point in a week isn't a disastrous return and both performances were some way better than the second half at Watford or the home defeats to Preston and Wolves. There continue to be signs that the new players are settling in but on today's evidence there's still a fair bit to do before the away form hits the levels required for a serious promotion challenge.
Town: R Wright, Volz, D Wright, Naylor, McAuley, Garvan, Shumulikoski, Norris, Quinn, Walters, Stead (Lisbie 69). Unused: Supple, Campo, Haynes. Att: 17,198.