Town’s game away against the MK Dons remains 0-0 at half-time.
Skipper Sam Morsy returned following his four-match, while Kayden Jackson was surprise selection up front.
Morsy came into midfield alongside Tyreeq Bakinson for Lee Evans, who has continued to suffer with a groin problem and who misses out.
Jackson, making his second start since Kieran McKenna took charge, was the lone central striker with Conor Chaplin and Bersant Celina behind him with Macauley Bonne and James Norwood on the bench.
For the Dons, who are managed by ex-Town academy midfielder and coach Liam Manning, former Blues loanee Troy Parrott started and one-time striker Connor Wickham was on the bench.
Town, wearing all blue, were backed by this season’s biggest EFL away following of 7,000 behind the goal, many armed with inflatables, probably the club’s biggest ever league travelling support.
Large numbers were still outside as the game kicked-off after the Blues had taken a knee and MK had linked arms in a similar anti-racism gesture, to applause from both sets of fans.
The home side forced the first opening of the match in the third minute, Theo Corbeanu breaking away beyond Luke Woolfenden before scuffing his shot into the side-netting.
MK saw most of the ball in the early stages on a difficult-looking pitch, but Town were beginning to get more into it in the ninth minute when a pass behind the home backline was too strong for Jackson and MK keeper Jamie Cumming claimed.
On the quarter hour, Josh McEachran got to the byline on the MK left but his cross was cut out by Morsy, who deftly turned away from his man inside the box before seeing Town on a counter-attack. Celina fed Wes Burns breaking down the right but the Welshman shot over from just inside the area.
There was a scare for the Dons in the 19th minute when, following a spell of Town possession, Chaplin chipped a cross into the six-yard box which Cumming mishandled towards his own net having collided with one of his defenders but was able to claim in front of his line.
A minute later, Burns sent another ball into the box from the right with the Blues starting to get on top with Morsy’s driving runs from midfield having provided impetus.
On 24, Woolfenden tried to clip a ball over the top for Chaplin but the pass was too strong.
Town were by now having most of the ball and a minute later Celina hit a 25-yard effort which flew straight to Cumming.
In the 28th minute, Celina fed in Jackson on the right of the box and the striker hit a well-struck shot which Cumming palmed behind. Just before the half-hour, the Kosovan tried similar on the left of the box but overhit his pass.
Town continued to control the game and in the 37th minute Celina smashed a free-kick into the MK wall after Jackson had been fouled 25 yards out.
Christian Walton was forced into his first save of the game in the 41st minute when Bakinson lost possession midway inside the Town half, allowing MK a break towards goal from which Corbeanu hit a low shot which the Blues keeper got down to his left to palm past the post.
The home side went close again in the final scheduled minute when Scott Twine hit an acrobatic effort from inside the box from a right-wing cross which Walton tipped over.
Despite the two late MK efforts the Blues had been the better side for most of the first half.
The Dons had started on top but Town gradually took charge and created a number of opportunities, the best Jackson’s effort which Cumming turned behind.
A couple of moments of sloppiness led to the home side’s late chances, something the Blues will need to cut out in the second half with one goal perhaps enough to settle the game either way.
MK Dons: Cumming, Watson, Lewington (c), O'Hora, Darling, Twine, Corbeanu, Coventry, McEachran, Parrott, Harvie. Subs: Ravizzoli, Smith, Eisa, Kemp, Boateng, Wickham, Kesler-Hayden.
Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burns, Bakinson, Morsy (c), Thompson, Chaplin, Celina, Jackson. Subs: Hladky, Burgess, Vincent-Young, Carroll, Aluko, Bonne, Norwood. Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands).