Goal-shy Town recorded their 10th draw of the season as Sheffield Wednesday’s visit to Portman Road ended goalless. Tamás Priskin had a goal disallowed for offside, Alan Quinn missed a one-one with Owls keeper Lee Grant and neither Jon Walters nor Gareth McAuley could hook a loose ball over the line from point blank range.
Boss Roy Keane made two changes to the side which drew at Reading a fortnight ago, Owen Garvan returning to the fold in place of Alan Quinn and Lee Martin coming in up front instead of Jon Stead, albeit in a role behind main striker Tamás Priskin.
Jon Walters switched to the right with Carlos Edwards moving to the left. Keane stuck with Damien Delaney and Alex Bruce at the centre of the defence despite Gareth McAuley and Tommy Smith returning to fitness.
David Wright struck an early shot through to Sheffield Wednesday keeper Lee Grant, then Grant Leadbitter sent Tamás Priskin away but the Hungarian took the ball too wide and hit a weak shot to the Owls keeper.
On eight referee Andy D’Urso booked Frank Simek for a foul on Carlos Edwards. Leadbitter’s low freekick came through a crowd of players before being claimed by Grant. Andy D’Urso’s yellow card was out again on 13 for a Richard Hinds foul on Lee Martin.
Wednesday winger Jermaine Johnson found himself in space inside the Town area in the 20th minute but struck his effort straight at Asmir Begovic. Soon afterwards Wednesday claimed a penalty when a Luke Varney header struck Damien Delaney on the hand at close range but referee D’Urso decided that there was no intent.
Six minutes later, Lewis Buxton became the third Owl to get his name in Andy D’Urso’s book for a foul on Priskin.
With rain by now falling heavily, Martin unleashed a 25-yard strike which Grant did well to save, then at the other end a loose ball fell to Marcus Tudgay inside the Town box but the Wednesday striker shot straight at Begovic. The ball ran out to Michael Gray on the left but the former England man scraped wide.
Carlos Edwards volleyed well over when he probably should have done better as a largely uneventful first half came to an end
Town had probably had the better of it but as so often this season without creating much of note in front of goal. Any crosses which came in from the flanks either went beyond the far post or there too few players in the box to make the most of the opportunity. Wednesday had similarly created little, although Tudgay might have done better with his chance late in the half.
As the rain continued to lash down, the Blue started the second half having reorganised. Jon Walters had gone up front, Lee Martin to left midfield and Carlos Edwards to the right.
The Blues started the half brightly, a Leadbitter freekick being cleared from under the bar ahead of a number of on-rushing Town players. Moments later, the former Sunderland man struck a low shot just wide.
On 57, with Wednesday by now making most of the running, Town swapped Alex Bruce, who had been treated for a groin problem a few minutes earlier, with Gareth McAuley and the again ineffectual Lee Martin for Alan Quinn. Garvan moved out to the left to allow Quinn to join Leadbitter in the centre.
Five minutes later, a long Carlos Edwards throw was nodded out to Owen Garvan, whose right-footed shot was again well saved by Grant.
Town had a lucky escape in the 65th minute when Marcus Tudgay failed to connect with a loose ball inside the area.
On 67 Town should have gone in front when a clever Priskin flick sent Quinn away behind the defence but the former Wednesday midfielder’s shot was saved by Grant, a defender scraping Quinn’s rebound wide.
Grant completely misjudged the resultant corner and dropped it on his goal-line, but neither Walters nor McAuley could manage to toe the ball into the net before it was cleared.
Edwards shot over on 70, before Jon Stead replaced Jon Walters up front alongside Priskin, who was starting to receive abuse from some sections of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.
Stead’s first input was a 25-yard strike which Grant saved well but could only push out to his left. Edwards sent in a low cross which Priskin tapped home, only for the linesman to raise his flag.
Town appeared to run out of ideas from there with little of note in front of goal other than Owen Garvan’s last minute shot through to Grant. Wednesday enjoyed more of the final stages of the game but rarely looked like troubling Begovic.
The Blues probably did enough to win the game without putting in a particularly impressive display. There were good spells and some moves but Town again rarely looked dangerous in front of goal. Wednesday keeper Grant made a number of good saves, but largely from strikes from outside the area.
Tamás Priskin showed one or two clever touches, most notably the flick which sent through Quinn, but by the end some sections of the support were starting to get on his back for the less than energetic aspects of his game and the summer signing again looked unthreatening in and around the penalty area.
There was no lack of passion and endeavour in the overall performance and defensively Town continue to look less frail than they did earlier in the season. But at the other end of the field it remains hard to see where the goals are going to come from, even against relatively run of the mill opposition such as Wednesday.
Town: Begovic, Rosenior, D Wright, Delaney, Bruce (McAuley 57), Leadbitter, Edwards, Garvan, Walters (Stead 75), Martin (Quinn 57), Priskin. Unused: R Wright, Peters, Trotter, Wickham. Unused: 19,636.