Town’s FA Cup first-round replay against Lincoln City at Sincil Bank remains 0-0 at half-time.
Brett McGavin, who made his senior debut at Colchester last week, was handed his second first-team start in the centre of midfield behind Emyr Huws and Andre Dozzell.
Tomas Holy was in goal with Janoi Donacien and Myles Kenlock the full-backs and Toto Nsiala and James Wilson, who wore the armband against his former club, at centre-back. Will Keane was the lone central striker with Alan Judge on the right and Anthony Georgiou on the left.
On the first-team bench for the first time was young Wales U21s keeper Adam Przybek along with academy scholars Tyreece Simpson and Tommy Hughes, who made their debuts earlier in the season in the Leasing.com Trophy. For the Imps, ex-Blues loanee Callum Connolly was among the subs.
Neither side seriously threatened in the opening 10 minutes but on 11 Huws brought the ball in from the right following a sharp spell of Blues passing but scraped the ball wide of Josh Vickers’s left post.
There was a massive scare for Town in the 15th minute when the waters parted and Lincoln striker John Akinde suddenly found himself with a clear shot at Holy’s goal from just inside the area but wildly shot wide.
The former Barnet man may well have thought he was offside, as did the Blues’ centre-halves, who remonstrated with the linesman, but his flag remained lowered.
Widemen Judge and Georgiou swapped flanks moments before Town gifted the ball to Bruno Andrade not too far outside the area. However, the Portuguese forward allowed himself to be closed down and his shot deflected wide.
Lincoln threatened again on 22 when former Norwich man Harry Toffolo’s shot was deflected wide.
The Imps felt the Blues should have been reduced to 10 men three minutes later when Donacien and Andrade tangled as the Lincoln man looked to run onto a Jorge Grant pass which would have seen him in on goal.
Initially referee Andy Haines saw no foul but evidently took the advice of his assistant and eventually booked the St Lucian. Grant’s freekick was blocked, then Neal Eardley sent the loose ball back into the box but out for a goalkick.
The game was held up for a serious-looking injury to Andrade - who was eventually stretchered off and replaced by Jack Payne - as it reached the half-hour mark with the Imps having had the best of it and all the chances.
Town had passed the ball around at times but without showing any threat up front with Keane, Judge and Georgiou having seen little of the ball.
Once the game restarted, there was another scare for the Blues when the ball was played back to Holy only just in front of Jake Hesketh but fortunately the Czech keeper was quickest to it and cleared.
Town had their best chance of the half during four additional minutes. Keane turned his man midway inside the Lincoln half and took the ball into the area before hitting a shot from a tight angle on the right which Vickers turned over. From the corner, Wilson stabbed wide at the far post.
Aside from Akinde catching Nsiala on his shoulder with a high boot as the defender sought to clear with his head, that was the final action of the half.
The likes of McGavin, Dozzell and Huws had passed tidily at times but the Blues had caused the home side little danger other than Keane’s late effort.
At the other end Lincoln, who had similarly looked to pass the ball, had had most of the chances but with Holy not having had to make a serious save. The Imps had been less threatening after the departure of Andrade, who had caused problems both at Portman Road and prior to going off.
Town will need to improve in the second half if they are to end their 15-game winless FA Cup run.
Lincoln: Vickers, Toffolo, Shackell, Bolger, Andrade (Payne 35), Chapman, Grant, Eardley, Anderson, Hesketh, Akinde. Subs: Smith, Pett, Bostwick, Walker, Connolly, Melbourne.
Town: Holy, Donacien, Wilson, Nsiala, Kenlock, Huws, Dozzell, McGavin, Judge, Georgiou, Keane. Subs: Przybek, Rowe, Edwards, El Mizouni, Woolfenden, Hughes, Simpson. Referee: Andy Haines (Tyne & Wear).