Town’s game at Nottingham Forest remains 0-0 at half-time with the home side having come closest to going in front when Dean Gerken save from ex-Blues midfielder Liam Trotter.
Mick McCarthy made four changes from the team which lost 3-0 at Hull City in midweek with David McGoldrick, Cole Skuse, Freddie Sears and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all starting. Giles Coke, Jonathan Douglas, Larsen Touré and Jonny Parr dropped to the bench.
McGoldrick - like skipper Luke Chambers a former Forest player - was in the centre with Daryl Murphy to his left and Sears to his right. The trio of strikers were all starting a game for the first time since Sears signed from Colchester in January. Giles Coke, Jonathan Douglas, Larsen Touré and Jonny Parr all dropped to the bench.
Trotter was handed his debut for Forest having joined on loan from Bolton earlier in the day, while ex-Blues loanee Jonny Williams was also in the Tricky Trees’ midfield.
Town controlled the opening minutes but without creating any openings. On nine, after a long spell of Blues passing largely dictated by Bru, Jonas Knudsen sent over a cross from the left which was too long for his team-mates. Moments later, a Murphy shot on the edge of the box struck Sears.
The Blues were caught on the break in the 10th minute but Skuse and then Tommy Smith got back to challenge and eventually dispossess Ryan Mendes, unfairly according to the home fans. Referee Paul Tierney wasn’t interested, however.
A minute later Williams played in Mendes on the Forest right and the Cape Verde international shot low across the face of Gerken’s goal. Mendes may have been helped find space by Blues left-back Knudsen having suffered an injury and on 12 the Danish international made way for Jonny Parr.
Chances continued to be rare events at either end but in the 29th minute only a superb Gerken save prevented the home side from going in front.
The Blues were caught short of numbers as Mendes broke and then fed Trotter to his left. The former Northgate High School pupil hit a powerful low shot across the Town keeper who got down to his left and blocked with a strong hand.
The loose ball eventually found Jamie Ward, who cut in from the right and hit another low effort which the Blues keeper palmed wide.
The double save was the highlight what had had been a less then enthralling game up to then and a minute later Town had a chance at the other end.
McGoldrick’s header from Bru’s corner struck a defender and ran loose in the area but wouldn’t fall for Murphy and the danger was cleared.
Forest immediately broke and Skuse picked up the game’s first booking for fouling Williams on halfway.
Gerken was forced into another save on 36 batting away Nelson Oliveira’s shot from the right of the area.
Oliveira claimed he had been fouled in the area by Parr in the 41st minute as a Ward cross came over from the left but the Forest man appeared to be the one with his arms around the Town defender. The ball eventually reached Mendes at the far post and he shot into the side-netting.
A minute before the break Smith was booked for tripping Mendes as Forest again counter-attacked quickly, a Town move having broken down on the edge of the home side’s box after Murphy’s pass had failed to find McGoldrick.
Just before the break both physios were called into action when Maitland-Niles and Trotter clashed heads as they went for a header.
Both players were fine to continue and the on-loan Arsenal man made a strong run down the left moments after returning to the field and won a corner.
Forest broke quickly following the Town flag-kick and Mendes hit the half’s final shot wide of Gerken’s right post.
The home side will believe they should have been in front at the break having had much the better of the chances.
Gerken had been the busier of the two keepers with his stop from Trotter’s strike as good if not better than his recent save from another former Town man, Jordan Rhodes, at Blackburn.
The Blues had had spells on top but had failed to carve out a significant opening or manage a shot on target.
Nottingham Forest: De Vries, Lichaj, Wilson (c), Hobbs, Pinillos, Trotter, Williams, Mendes, Ward, Oliveira. Subs: Evtimov, Blackstock, Burke, O’Grady, Walker, Grant, Iacovitti.
Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen (Parr 12), Skuse, Bru, Maitland-Niles, Sears, Murphy, McGoldrick. Subs: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Douglas, Coke, Touré, Pitman. Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire).