Pablo Couñago's close range header saw the Blues to a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Portman Road, Steve Watson having put the visitors in front just after half-time. Town had the chances to take all three points but again were found wanting in and around the penalty area.
The Bluesn made three changes to the team which beat Chesterfield 3-0 last week with Kevin Lisbie, Danny Haynes and Alex Bruce coming into the side, while Alan Quinn, the injured David Wright and the suspended Veliche Shumulikoski dropped out.
Lisbie, who missed last week's game due to a throat infection, came in up front, Haynes wide on the right, with Jon Walters on the left and Bruce at right-back.
There was an early scare for the Blues in the eighth minute when former Town loanee Franny Jeffers crossed from the right and veteran midfielder Steve Watson shot narrowly wide from six yards. Four minutes later, a Watson corner was headed similarly close to the Town goal by Mark Beevers.
Town had again started slowly but on 14 good work from Lisbie down the left saw the striker play the ball to Walters, who shot not far wide of Lee Grant's goal.
Gareth McAuley headed a Tommy Miller corner just wide in the 18th minute, then Walters shot straight at the keeper after being found by Haynes on the edge of the area, but referee Graham Horwood gave a freekick to the Owls for handball.
On 23 Danny Haynes used his pace to cut in from the right but keeper Grant was out quickly to block. Moments later, Walters again shot straight at the keeper.
Iván Campo was booked for failing to retreat at a freekick on the half hour, although the Spanish defender appeared to be being spoken to by the referee as Wednesday took the kick quickly against his shins.
Watson sent Michael Gray's cross over in the 35th minute, prior to a bit of panic in the Town defence as Richard Wright failed to claim a deep corner from the right. One-time Town trialist Jermaine Johnson and Richard Wood both had attempts blocked before the visitors won another corner.
Walters was sent away on the left of the area in the 44th minute but struck his shot across the face of goal and wide.
In injury time, a fine Town move involving Norris and Lisbie led to Couñago laying the ball back to Walters, whose goalbound shot was cleared by Richard Wood.
Town had done enough to deserve a lead at the break, although at the same time Wednesday had created one or two decent chances themselves. However, the Blues had got behind the Wednesday defence on a number of occasions and ought to have been more clinical with both their final ball and attempts on goal.
Town's tendency to start halves slowly was again in evidence as the second period began with the visitors in the ascendancy.
And on 51, with neither side having threatened much up to then, Wednesday went in front. Gareth McAuley was forced to take a long ball wide to the Town right, perhaps expecting Richard Wright to come to the edge of his area for the ball. Jermaine Johnson dispossessed the Town defender then crossed towards Watson, who nipped in front of Ben Thatcher to head home, Wright getting a strong arm on the ball but failing to prevent it hitting the net.
Seven minutes later, the Blues were hit by a further blow with Iván Campo suffering a calf strain and limping off. Moritz Volz took over at right-back with Alex Bruce moving into Campo's central role.
Couñago found Haynes inside the area in the 64th minute, the former England U19 international hitting a shot on the turn, which Grant did well to push around his post.
From the resultant corner, after Jon Stead had replaced Kevin Lisbie, the Blues got back on terms. Miller's corner was headed powerfully goalwards by McAuley, Grant saved but Couñago was on hand to nod in his eighth goal of the season.
Jeffers, regular booed by his old fans throughout the game, stabbed a Johnson cross wide on 72, but it was Town showing most of the attacking endeavour. Couñago found Stead on the 18-yard line but the former Sheffield United man shot over with an unmarked Danny Haynes screaming for the ball to his right. Haynes did manage a strike a moment later, but a defender deflected it over the bar.
On 77 a Thatcher ball into the box dropped to Stead but the striker sent the ball well over the bar when he really should have done much better. Owen Garvan, back after a spell out ill, replaced Tommy Miller for the final 13 minutes.
The Irishman was influential during his spell on the pitch, but the Blues managed only a couple more strikes. Couñago twisted and turned before hitting a shot which deflected wide, then Garvan himself shot over from the edge of the box in the closing moments with keeper Grant having strayed out of his goal. However, the winning goal wasn't to come and another three home points were dropped.
Again, Town can point to their lack of a cutting edge after creating more than enough decent opportunities, especially in the first half. A more predatory frontman looks certain to be one of January's transfer priorities with Couñago, Walters, Haynes and Stead not the most prolific strikers and Lisbie currently impressive away but looking shorter on confidence at home.
Similarly, the Blues continue to start games and second halves slowly, something they've done all season and were made to pay when Wednesday went in front six minutes into the second period.
Two winnable away trips to Crystal Palace and Barnsley could help put the Blues' play-off push back on track, but Town will need to start taking more of their chances and turning promising performances into wins if they are to finish the season anywhere other than mid-table.
Town: R Wright, Bruce, Thatcher, McAuley, Campo (Volz 58), Miller (Garvan 77), Norris, Walters, Haynes, Couñago, Lisbie (Stead 64). Unused: Supple, Quinn. Att: 20,213.