Town dropped to fourth in the Championship after drawing 0-0 with Bolton Wanderers at the Macron Stadium. After an evenly balanced first half in which the home side had the better opportunities, the Blues - who had scored in each of their last 16 games - were on top for much of the second period with Jay Tabb twice going close to breaking the deadlock.
Teddy Bishop returned to the side, replacing Stephen Hunt, who missed out with a virus, in an otherwise unchanged team.
Bishop started in the centre of midfield alongside Cole Skuse with Jay Tabb moving to the left and Paul Anderson continuing on the right. Luke Hyam remained sidelined with his achilles injury. For Bolton, former Blue Liam Trotter was on the bench.
Blues striker David McGoldrick struck the game’s first shot in the sixth minute after a clever turn five yards outside the area, but his low effort failed to test Andrew Lonergan in the Bolton goal.
Two minutes later, Bishop picked up a ball well inside the Town half on the right and brought it forward a long way before feeding Tabb in space on the left just outside the Trotters’ box. However, the midfielder’s strike was blocked by Dorian Dervite.
From the corner, the ball was deflected high into the air end and eventually found Murphy, who looped a shot goalwards, Lonergan doing well to tip over. Smith nodded Anderson’s right-sided flag-kick wide at the near post with the Blues starting strongly.
Bolton threatened for the first time in the 14th minute. Tim Ream played a ball down the left behind Blues skipper Luke Chambers towards Max Clayton. The former Crewe man cut in past Smith, however, Christophe Berra had got across to block his shot.
But Town were largely having the better of it and on 18 Skuse struck a powerful low drive from distance but straight at Lonergan.
A minute later, the home side created another decent opportunity. With Christophe Berra down having taken a blow to the head, Liam Feeney crossed from the right and Lee Chung-Yong moved the ball on to unmarked left-back Tim Ream on the edge of the box.
The USA international should have shot but instead played a low pass into the area which Tyrone Mings half-cleared back to him, Ream blazing the subsequent chance well over.
At the other end, Bishop cut in from the left and hit a shot which gave Lonergan no problem.
The Blues weren’t far away from opening the scoring in the 26th minute when Mings found Murphy in space on the right with an excellent cross-field pass. The Championship’s 13-goal top scorer cut in and hit a low shot just past Lonergan’s right post.
Moments later, with rain by now falling heavily, the Trotters were forced into a sub when Clayton went down and after treatment was stretchered off. Jay Spearing replaced him. The sub was quickly into the action, shooting just wide from 25 yards in the 33rd minute.
In the final minute of the half McGoldrick picked up the game’s first yellow card for a late tackle on Feeney on halfway.
In injury time, Murphy sent over a dangerous cross from the left but Ream did well to chest back to Lonergan.
Shortly before the whistle, Skuse smashed a poor Feeney clearance well wide on the volley.
The Blues had had the better of the early stages but overall it was an evenly balanced half.
Bolton, though, had had the better chances with Berra making an important block from Clayton and Ream failing to take a shot when presented with his opportunity by Lee. For the Blues, Murphy went closest with his shot which flew just past the post.
The home side started brightly after the restart but without threatening Bartosz Bialkowski’s goal.
On 53 referee Sutton irked the Town players when he pulled play back for a foul on Tabb 35 yards out with the game having continued and McGoldrick in a promising position inside the area. From the freekick, McGoldrick struck a low shot which was blocked.
Two minutes later, Tabb had a great chance to put the Blues in front. McGoldrick brought the ball in from the right and hit a shot which was going well wide but rather fortunately hit Tabb, putting him through on goal. Trotters keeper Lonergan reacted quickly and came off his line to block the midfielder’s effort on goal.
Bolton introduced returning striker Eidur Gudjohnsen on the hour, the 36-year-old Icelander making his second Trotters debut against the team he faced in the last game of his previous spell 14 years ago.
Tabb immediately went close for Town again when Anderson’s corner from the right bounced to him through a crowd of players. Lonergan reacted quickly to divert his 10-yard diving header over.
McGoldrick dragged a shot wide having cut in from the right, then was presented by an even better opportunity when Berra’s long ball down the left beat Wanderers skipper Mills. McGoldrick hit a low shot just past Lonergan’s left post from a tight angle.
The Blues were getting on top and on 68 McGoldrick scuffed a shot on the edge of the box after good work on the right from Anderson. Tabb returned the ball to McGoldrick, who found Mings in space on the left but his low cross was cut out.
But Town were in charge and were making chances. A minute later, a clearance struck Murphy and sent McGoldrick away on the right but his shot was too close to the keeper. On 72 Kevin Bru replaced Bishop.
McGoldrick and Murphy almost conjured a chance for Tabb on 77. McGoldrick cleverly tricked his way out of a crowd of players before his strike partner used his strength to turn his man and play a ball into the midfielder’s path only for a Bolton defender’s toe to intervene.
A minute later, Mings was booked for a foul on Feeney, then Noel Hunt replaced Anderson taking up a position on the right of a front three.
As the game moved into its final 10 minutes the home side were having more of the ball but still without forcing Bialkowski into a save.
With three minutes of scheduled time remaining, Ream was booked for fouling a breaking Hunt on the right. Darren Ambrose replaced Tabb, who had put in a tireless performance, on 89.
Gudjohnsen marked his second Bolton debut with a booking for hauling back Hunt as the fourth official’s board announced four additional minutes. Hunt was yellow-carded himself for a rather untidy looking challenge on Ream.
Bolton claimed a penalty two minutes into injury time when Berra blocked Lee’s cross from the right but replays suggested the ball hit the Scot’s chest.
Soon after, referee Sutton blew his whistle soon afterwards to confirm Town’s first 0-0 draw since the Blackpool home game in February and their last away from home since the stalemate at Millwall in April 2013.
After the even first half, the Blues were the better team after the break with McGoldrick more effective and were much the more likely winners. It was perhaps unfortunate that the best two chances fell to the otherwise outstanding Tabb rather than either of the strikers.
However, despite missing out on the chance of going top and dropping a couple of places - although still only a point behind new leaders Bournemouth - manager Mick McCarthy won’t be too disappointed with another away point and his side stretching their unbeaten record to eight games, having lost only once in their last 17 matches.
Bolton: Lonergan, Ream, Mills (c), Dervite, Wheater (Vela 70), Danns, Feeney, Pratley (Gudjohnsen 60), Lee, Clayton (Spearing 29), Wilkinson. Unused: Bogdan, Moxey, Hall, Trotter.
Town: Bialkowski, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Mings, Skuse, Bishop (Bru 72), Tabb (Ambrose 89), Anderson (N Hunt 79), Murphy, McGoldrick. Unused: Gerken, Parr, Clarke, Sammon. Referee: Gary Sutton (Lincolnshire). Att: 15,186 (Town: 905).