Town again were left ruing missed chances after drawing 0-0 away at Bristol City. Jon Stead, Owen Garvan, Jon Walters and Pablo Couñago all missed good opportunities for the Blues, while ex-Town striker Danny Haynes hit both posts with the home side’s best two chances.
Roy Keane made three changes from the side which won at Cardiff last week. Arran Lee-Barrett made his first start for Town in place of the injured Richard Wright, Alan Quinn came in for Carlos Edwards and Jon Stead replaced Tamás Priskin. Owen Garvan moved to the left with Jon Walters starting on the right and Quinn in the centre.
In sodden conditions much like last week’s at Cardiff, Stern John headed an early Owen Garvan cross over the bar.
After Paul Hartley had shot wide, the Blues took control, Grant Leadbitter forcing a fifth minute save from former Colchester man Dean Gerken, Liam Fontaine getting across to put the loose ball out of play. From the corner, Gareth McAuley headed wide.
Town continued to control the game, Stead going wide from a Walters cross. On eight Stern John sent Stead away one-on-one with Gerken but the keeper blocked the Town striker’s effort when he should have done better.
The Blues had another excellent opportunity to put his side in front in the 17th minute when Stead was played in on the right by Damien Delaney. The former Sheffield United man cut in and played the ball back to Owen Garvan, who lashed over.
Town should already have been two goals in front but three minutes later had another great opportunity to go in front when Walters again sent Stead away on the right. With Owen Garvan unmarked on the penalty spot screaming for the ball, Stead chose to go it alone and Gerken blocked his shot from the tight angle. The pass to the Irish midfielder would have been the better option.
Marvin Elliott picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on his former team-mate Stern John on the half hour as Bristol City came more and more into the game. However, the home side were rarely testing Arran Lee-Barrett in the Town goal aside from a few freekicks into the box. A 42nd minute shot wide from Paul Hartley was the first half’s final attacking action.
Town should certainly have been ahead at the break having had more than enough chances to put themselves in front during a very strong spell prior to the half hour mark, finishing and decision-making in and around the box had again proving a problem. The Blues had kept the ball far better in most recent games and would fully have deserved a half-time lead.
Jon Stead struck two similarly weak shots to Gerken in the opening minutes of the second period, then Alan Quinn forced the Robins keeper into a more impressive save with a 25-yard strike.
There was a scare for the Blues in the 51st minute when a loose ball fell to Danny Haynes inside the area and the former Town man hit a low shot which struck the outside of the post and bounced to safety. Moments later, Lee Johnson headed to Lee-Barrett from a corner.
The home side were again coming back into the game after Town’s good second half start and in the 53rd minute Delaney blocked an Elliott shot on the edge of the six-yard box. Soon after, Pablo Couñago replaced Stern John.
Danny Haynes again came close to putting his old side to the sword on the hour when Evander Sno played him in on goal. The former Blue beat Lee-Barrett, but saw his shot hit the outside of the other post and again bounce away to safety.
Garvan hit a low effort to Gerken, then Leadbitter saw a strike blocked, Haynes clearing Couñago’s follow-up inside the six-yard box. Quinn subsequently shot over.
On 69 Stead was replaced by Carlos Edwards, Walters moving up front and the Trinidadian going to right midfield.
Walters picked up a yellow card for kicking the ball away at a freekick in the 72nd minute. Three minutes later, he should have scored when Rosenior found him with a cross from the right, but the Blues skipper headed straight to Gerken.
City sub Ivan Sproule joined Walters in the referee’s book in the 76th minute for cynically bringing down a breaking Town captain. A minute later, Jack Colback took over from Alan Quinn. Danny Haynes was replaced in the 79th minute, applauding and being applauded by both sets of fans.
Couñago’s shot was blocked, then Alvaro Saborio crossed for Sproule, who shot wide with the game by now very open and with chances coming at both ends.
Garvan shot through to Gerken after good work from Couñago, then for Bristol City Lee Johnson shot straight at Lee-Barrett. Moments later, Edwards hit a powerful low shot wide.
On 85 Town had another excellent opportunity to go in front. Leadbitter hit a low shot off Gerken’s left post. Couñago looked almost certain to tap home the loose ball but somehow the keeper’s toe prevented the Spaniard from converting.
Gareth McAuley shot over having brought the ball forward with Town by now controlling the closing stages. With three minutes remaining Walters went off for treatment to a head wound.
An injury time deflected Grant Leadbitter shot was the game’s final effort, referee Tony Bates blowing his whistle as the Blues prepared to take a corner.
An eighth game unbeaten, but another match which the Blues should have won. As so often this season, Town had the chances to win it but failed to take their opportunities. Stead, Garvan, Walters and Couñago were all guilty, none of the better openings falling to Stern John, the man recently brought in end Town’s scoring problems.
The Blues dominated long spells of the game, passing the ball around more fluently than in most recent games and, Haynes’s chances aside, defended solidly. Arran Lee-Barrett in goal had a quiet afternoon and did little wrong.
Town continue to look a side better than their current league position but won’t progress out of the bottom three until they finally start to show greater sharpness in front of goal.
Town: Lee-Barrett, Rosenior, D Wright, Delaney, McAuley, Leadbitter, Quinn (Colback 77), Walters, Garvan, Stead (Edwards 69), John (Couñago 55). Unused: McLoughlin, Peters, Priskin, Smith. Att: 14,287.