Town and Doncaster Rovers both remain unbeaten after a 0-0 draw at Portman Road. The visitors went closest to breaking the deadlock when Ben Sheaf hit the post in the second half.
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 Whiteman, who played to Taylor who slipped 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 with Matthew Blair before sending over a cross which reached Taylor at the far post. Fortunately for the Blues, the former Rotherman man miscontrolled and Holy was able to close him down and 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 having 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.
Two minutes after the restart Downes, playing his 50th game for the Blues, was booked for a foul on Sheaf having lost possession on halfway.
Town weren’t too far away from opening the scoring in the 47th minute when Edwards - back on the right wing - did well to make himself space to cross and Jackson got above Lawlor at the near post but was unable to direct his header goalwards.
Almost immediately Rovers threatened at the other end after Town had given the ball away again but Coppinger’s pass from the right was too far in front of Ennis and Holy came out to claim.
But Town were looking better than they had before the break with the volume on the Sir Bobby Robson Stand having been turned up. On 52 Jackson blazed an effort well over from distance.
Taylor flicked a header not too far wide in the 59th minute but the Blues were looking the greater threat.
On 61 a poor Holy kick somehow found Jackson towards the left and the striker hit a weak shot into the side-netting.
Two minutes later, Lambert swapped Downes and Edwards for Jon Nolan and Anthony Georgiou. Judge returned to the right with the on-loan Tottenham man on the left.
In the 65th Norwood was sent away by Skuse, taking the ball to the left of the final defender but seeing his shot blocked by keeper Lawlor. The loose ball fell to the Town striker but got caught under his feet. Whiteman was subsequently booked for a foul in the build-up.
Doncaster came close to grabbing the game’s first goal in the 70th minute, the ball was cut across to Ennis from the left and the on-loan Wolves man’s shot was blocked. It ran back to him but he was crowded out by the Blues’ backline.
On 71 Doncaster switched veteran Coppinger and Blair for Alfie May and Kieran Sadlier.
A minute later, Vincent-Young, who had had fewer opportunities to break forward than in his first two games for the Blues, made a strong run before hitting a powerful strike not too far over.
The game was becoming an increasingly end-to-end affair. On 75 Whiteman shot straight at Holy after a well-worked move, then the Blues broke quickly via a keeper’s throw to Georgiou, Norwood hitting a shot from an angle which was blocked when he might have cut back to team-mates better placed.
Striker Keane was handed his second Blues’ debut from the bench in the 79th minute for Jackson.
Within seconds of the substitution, Doncaster went within a couple of inches of going in front. Sheaf picked up the ball a long way out before smashing a shot which flew past Holy to his right and struck the post.
On 82 Brad Halliday was booked for a foul on Judge, then two minutes later Doncaster replaced the lively Ennis with Kiwomya.
Town continued to push as the game moved into its final five minutes but without much success, while the visitors looked to counter-attack with Chambers forced to make a vital challenge on Kiwomya on the edge of the Blues’ box.
Three minutes of additional time had just been announced when Norwood was sent away of the left of box by Judge but his strike was was too close to Lawlor who batted it away above his head.
From the resultant corner, Doncaster sub May broke from the edge of his team’s box - having appeared to handle the ball - but was thwarted by Kenlock as he reached the Town area.
Neither side was able to create another opportunity before referee Yates ended proceedings.
Rovers, the pick of the sides to visit Portman Road this season, will have been disappointed not to claim all three points having been the better side in the first half and with Sheaf having hit the post in the second.
Town were better after the break, albeit without creating too many clear-cut chances and when opportunities did come Doncaster keeper Lawlor was equal to them.
At the other the end Holy made two vital first-half saves and the visitors continued to present a threat in the second period with Sheaf coming closer than anyone to scoring with his strike off the post.
The game was the Blues’ first 0-0 draw since the stalemate with Bolton Wanderers this month a year ago sees the two teams remain unbeaten with Town moving up to second following today’s games a point behind new leaders Coventry and ahead of Wycombe on goal difference.
The Blues are next in action away against the MK Dons on Tuesday before a visit to Gillingham in a week’s time.
Town: Holy, Vincent-Young, Woolfenden, Chambers (c), Kenlock, Skuse, Downes (Nolan 63), Edwards (Georgiou 63), Judge, Norwood, Jackson (Keane 79). Unused: Norris, Wilson, Dozzell, Dobra, Keane.
Doncaster: Lawlor, Halliday, James, Anderson, Sheaf, Whiteman (c), Taylor, Blair (May 71), Coppinger (Sadlier 71), Ennis (Kiwomya 84), John. Unused: Diang, Gomes, Longbottom, Daniels. Referee: Ollie Yates (Staffordshire). Att: 18,928 (Doncaster: 621).