Town’s home game with Brighton and Hove Albion ended in a 0-0 draw, the Blues’ second successive stalemate at Portman Road. Mick McCarthy’s side put in a much-improved display and were the better side but were unable to turn their superiority into goals even after the Seagulls were reduced to 10 men in the closing stages after Dale Stephens's red card.
Freddie Sears, without a goal in 35 games and who was nursing a groin injury after the Leeds game, dropped to the bench, while Adam Webster (hamstring) and Brett Pitman (knee and ankle) joined Town’s lengthy injury list.
Kevin Bru came into a central midfield three with Tom Lawrence starting on the left and Grant Ward on the right. Leon Best was making his first start for the Blues as the lone central striker.
Josh Emmanuel was at right-back with skipper Luke Chambers moving to the centre of the defence alongside Christophe Berra.
Brighton, with former Town loanee David Stockdale in goal, were without the suspended Gaetan Bong with Sebastien Pocognoli coming in at left-back. Oliver Norwood replaced the injured Beram Kayal in midfield.
In the opening minute one-time Town loan target Anthony Knockaert whipped over a ball from the right which flew across the Blues box and wide.
In the fifth minute Lawrence won a freekick having been tripped when taking the ball past a couple of Brighton players and towards the area. The ball was played short to the Leicester City loanee but he scraped his shot wide. On 10 Glenn Murray hit an effort well over from distance for the visitors.
Town created the game’s first serious chance after a not overly enthralling first 15 minutes. After good work from Lawrence and Best, Emmanuel brought the ball into the area from the right and hit a shot which struck a defender and then Jonathan Douglas, who stroked the ball home but from an offside position.
In the 24th minute Lawrence picked up the game’s first yellow card for a late tackle on Albion skipper Bruno.
Three minutes later, Emmanuel sent over a dangerous cross but Bruno prevented Douglas from reaching the ball, illegally according to the Town midfielder but not referee Andy Davies.
The game continued to be a cagey affair of few chances played in an almost pre-season friendly atmosphere in front of 15,228, the lowest Portman Road for a Championship game since 14,953 watched the game against Blackburn in December 2013.
On 37 Norwood was booked for a cynical challenge on Lawrence as the loanee broke following a Seagulls corner. From the freekick, Town brought the ball forward and Cole Skuse laid the ball back to Jonas Knudsen, who shot over.
Four minutes later, Skuse hit a powerful strike from the right after a Lawrence cross had reached him beyond the far post breaking towards the box. Stockdale saved his low effort and claimed at the second attempt.
The Blues were starting to present more of an attacking threat and a minute later Knudsen brought the ball forward on the left before hitting a strike into the side-netting. While Stockdale prepared to take the goalkick Stephens was yellow-carded for dissent, complaining that the Danish international had fouled him in the build-up.
Moments before the half-time whistle Lawrence curled a freekick into Stockdale’s arms from 35 yards after Ward had been fouled.
After a relatively uneventful first 40 minutes the Blues had grown in confidence as the half was drawing to a close and had looked the more threatening side, although without creating a clear-cut opportunity. Brighton had presented little danger going forwards throughout.
Lawrence had been Town’s main threat floating in from the left, while Emmanuel had put in an impressive 45 minutes at right-back, both from a defensive and attacking perspective.
Soon after the restart, Knockaert found himself space on the right before hitting a shot into Bartosz Bialkowski’s arms.
But the Blues quickly regained the ascendency, Knudsen sending a cross over from the left but Douglas was unable to get in a clean header.
Just before the hour mark, Chambers cleared the ball against Tomer Hemed then, probably inadvertently, felled the Seagulls striker. Soon after Douglas joined him in the referee’s book for a rather more deliberate attempted trip on the Israeli frontman as the visitors broke.
Just after the hour full debutant Best was replaced by Sears in what was clearly a pre-planned substitution.
The Seagulls threatened on 64 from a Knockaert corner from the left which eventually reached Shane Duffy, who blazed over when he should have hit the target. On 66 Conor Grant took over from Bru in the Blues’ midfield.
Despite Duffy’s opportunity, Brighton were still looking under par for a side in third place int he table. On 71 manager Chris Hughton switched Jiri Skalak and Hemed for Steve Sidwell and Jamie Murphy.
Sub Murphy immediately shot low but wide, then Bialkowski caught an overhit Stockdale kick on his line.
With 11 minutes remaining Ward was replaced by Teddy Bishop, who wasn’t wearing a mask protecting his recently broken nose.
With eight minutes remaining the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Stephens picked up his second yellow card of the game for a late tackle on Douglas in the centre circle. There was little argument from the midfielder as he made his way off the field.
Two minutes later, Blues right-back Emmanuel was shown his first yellow card of the game for a foul.
In injury time Bishop won a freekick just outside the area. The ball was played to Grant, who smashed the ball into the wall.
After Murray joined the long list of names in referee Davies’s book for dissent the rather over fussy official brought the game to a close.
Town were the better side and passed the ball around neatly and tidily at times and certainly were more impressive than they were at Leeds on Saturday and in a number of other recent games.
However, they were unable to create any significant second-half chances or win themselves corners or freekicks in dangerous areas until Grant’s late effort into the wall and have now gone three games without a goal.
But with the Seagulls third and having been one of the division’s top teams last season, a second successive goalless home draw shouldn’t be viewed as a poor result with the visitors limited to few opportunities, Duffy’s shot over the bar their only significant chance in the second half.
Emmanuel will be pleased with his first start of the season, while Knudsen kept Knockaert quiet on the other flank. Lawrence was Town’s outstanding forward player before tiring after the break.
The Blues, who previously recorded back-to-back goalless home draws last October and before that late in 2009, move up one place to 13th.
Town: Bialkowski, Emmanuel, Chambers (c), Berra, Skuse, Douglas, Bru (Grant 66), Ward (Bishop 79), Lawrence, Best (Sears 61). Unused: Gerken, Kenlock, Digby, Dozzell.
Brighton: Stockdale, Bruno (c), Dunk, Duffy, Pocognoli, Knockaert, Norwood, Stephens, Skalak (Sidwell 71), Murray, Hemed (Murphy 71). Unused: Maenpaa, Hunt, Goldson, Baldock, Manu. Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire). Att: 15,228 (Brighton: 568).