Town’s home game against Doncaster Rovers remains 0-0 at half-time.
Gwion Edwards replaced Danny Rowe in an otherwise unchanged team from the Blues’ last League One fixture, the 3-0 home victory over Shrewsbury. Edwards lined-up on the right of midfield in Town’s increasingly familiar 4-4-2 formation.
On the bench for the first time since returning to the club on a permanent basis last month was Will Keane, the striker having played two U23s games having undergone hamstring surgery earlier in the summer, while Armando Dobra, the star of the Leasing. com Trophy over Tottenham’s U21s, was also among the subs.
Doncaster’s starting XI included one-time Town target James Coppinger, while Alex Kiwomya, the nephew of Blues legend Chris, was among their subs.
Prior to kick-off, Blue Action unveiled a banner bearing the legend ‘The Beat goes on’ in tribute to Kevin Beattie, who died a year ago on Monday.
Doncaster had the better of the early stages, winning a couple of corners but without being able to carve out a clear-cut chance. However, on 10, Blues keeper Tomas Holy was forced to rush off his line quickly to claim a ball played through for Jon Taylor to chase.
Town threatened for the first time in the 12th minute when James Norwood crossed from the right, Kayden Jackson tapped back towards Alan Judge but the ball was taken away from the Irishman before he could shoot.
The Blues began to look more dangerous and on 18 Myles Kenlock exchanged passes with Judge on the left and the former Brentford man cut a cross back from the byline which was cut out.
At the other end, Rovers skipper Ben Whiteman shot over following a Coppinger freekick, but in the 21st minute there was an even bigger scare for Town.
Kenlock gave the ball away with midway inside the Town half and eventually Niall Ennis struck a shot from the edge of the box which Holy did well to save down to his right. The loose ball fell to Taylor but his effort was blocked and Cole Skuse eventually brought it away from danger.
Just before the half hour Skuse required treatment for what looked like a blow to the jaw after winning a brave header, starting a Town break, however, the midfielder was able to continue.
Judge, who had by now swapped flanks with Edwards, shot wide from distance on 31, then three minutes later a Norwood header from a deep corner from the right was blocked.
But Doncaster failed to fully clear the danger and eventually Kane Vincent-Young was fouled to the right of the by Reece James, who was booked. Judge played the freekick to the edge of the box from where Flynn Downes tried an acrobatic attempt which flew well over.
Three minutes before the break, Doncaster should have gone in front. Ennis made a lung-busting run down the right, exchanging passes before sending over a cross which reached Taylor at the far post where Holy closed him down to block his shot. The loose ball ran to the Doncaster man but he slipped and the danger was cleared.
Town won a late corner which came to nothing before referee Ollie Yates brought the half to an end.
Doncaster will have gone in the happier side at the break having been the better side and havng created the only real chances of the period.
Blues keeper Holy had been forced into making two significant saves while Ian Lawlor at the other end hadn’t had a shot to save with Town not registering an effort on target.
Town had had spells where they’d been in control but without ever seriously threatening and overall manager Paul Lambert will have been disappointed with the opening 45 minutes.
Town: Holy, Vincent-Young, Woolfenden, Chambers (c), Kenlock, Skuse, Downes, Edwards, Judge, Norwood, Jackson. Subs: Norris, Wilson, Nolan, Dozzell, Dobra, Georgiou, Keane.
Doncaster: Lawlor, Halliday, James, Anderson, Sheaf, Whiteman (c), Taylor, Blair, Coppinger, Ennis, John. Subs: Diang, Sadlier, Gomes, May, Longbottom, Kiwomya, Daniels. Referee: Ollie Yates (Staffordshire).