Town’s live-on-Sky second-v-third Championship clash with Derby County at Portman Road remains 0-0 at the break with Jay Tabb having had the Blues’ best opportunity.
Cole Skuse missed out through illness with Luke Hyam taking his place in central midfield, while Tyrone Mings starting at left-back for Jonny Parr is the only other change from the team which lined-up against Charlton in Town’s last league game.
Ex-Blue Darren Bent was amongst Derby’s subs, while former Town academy schoolboy and ballboy Richard Keogh skippered the Rams.
In gusty conditions, Town went close to going in front in the third minute when David McGoldrick played Jay Tabb in behind the Derby defence on the left of the area with a superb cross-field pass. But the midfielder’s low shot was saved by Rams keeper Lee Grant and Daryl Murphy’s rebound was blocked.
The Rams dominated the early possession but without threatening Bartosz Bialkowski’s goal and on 14 Town went close again. McGoldrick played the ball into Murphy’s feet on the edge of the box, the Town top scorer laying it back to the former Forest striker, who hit a powerful curling shot over.
Derby created their first opportunity in the 15th minute, Jordan Ibe cutting a ball across from the left and finding Jeff Hendrick, whose shot was blocked. Cyrus Christie’s rebound flew well wide.
A minute later, Tommy Smith was booked for tripping a Johnny Russell when in full-flight breaking towards the area. Russell curled the freekick wide.
The Rams had much the better of the next 10 minutes or so, continuing to have most of the ball, but without creating a further opportunity.
On 26 McGoldrick worked himself space on the edge of the box but his shot was deflected over. From the resultant corner Murphy nodded it down but McGoldrick was unable to turn goalwards. Three minutes later, Anderson hit a speculative effort from distance well wide.
John Eustace was booked for pulling back McGoldrick as Town broke in the 39th minute with the game not really having lived up to its billing. Following the freekick, McGoldrick helped create an opening for Murphy wide on the left but his strike from a tight angle flew over.
In the 43rd minute Berra made a superb saving challenge on Russell as the Scottish international shot having broken into the area.
There was a flare-up between McGoldrick and Eustace a minute before the end of the half when the Rams midfielder tripped the Town striker off the ball as Town broke, the Irish international striker catching the former Watford man as he fell.
Referee Kevin Wright bizarrely gave the freekick to Derby as McGoldrick expressed his displeasure by pushing Eustace in the chest as a number of other players joined in the melee. After order was restored, referee Wright booked McGoldrick but issued no sanction to Eustace, who had already been yellow-carded.
At the whistle, skipper Luke Chambers and a number of other Town players continued to remonstrate with the official.
Overall, Derby had had the better of a not overly-enthralling first half, having most of the ball and passing it around slickly, however, without creating many clear-cut opportunities.
Town, under-par compared with other recent home first-half performances, defended solidly for the most part and managed to carve out the better of the game’s few chances when going forward, Tabb’s early effort probably the best.
Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Mings, Berra, Smith, Hyam, Bishop, Tabb, Anderson, Murphy, McGoldrick. Subs: Gerken, Parr, S Hunt, N Hunt, Bajner, Bru, Ambrose.
Derby: Grant, Christie, Forsyth, Buxton, Keogh (c), Eustace, Hendrick, Hughes, Russell, Ibe, Martin. Subs: Roos, Bryson, Dawkins, Ward, Shotton, Mascarell, Bent. Kevin Wright (Merseyside).