Town recorded their first draw of the Kieran McKenna era as their game away against MK Dons ended 0-0. The Blues were on top for most of the game with Kayden Jackson and Wes Burns coming close to breaking the deadlock in each half.
Skipper Sam Morsy returned following his four-match, while 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 6,850 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 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. However, a couple of moments of sloppiness led to the home side’s late opportunities.
The Blues, now playing towards their huge away support, began the second half on the front foot.
Tennai Watson was shown the game’s first yellow card in the 52nd minute for fouling Morsy and then squaring up to the Town captain, then two minutes later home skipper Dean Lewington joined him for dissent having fouled Chaplin.
Burns was close to giving the Blues the lead in the 55th minute when he was sent away on the right in space by Bakinson and broke into the area before hitting a shot which went just wide off a defender.
The volume of the Town fans behind the goal increased with Celina finding Jackson with a chipped pass inside the area but the ball was stabbed away from the striker, who had his back to goal.
Home hearts were in mouths as the game reached the hour mark as a corner from the Town left bounced across the six-yard box without anyone getting a touch. It was sent back in from the right and Jackson shot over when he should have hit the target but with the flag having already been raised.
Ex-Town striker Wickham replaced Corbeanu for the Dons on 62 with the home side having been very much second best since the break. Two minutes later, Thompson was booked for a foul on Parrott, the on-loan Brentford man appearing to come off worse having suffered an ankle knock.
There was more danger for the Blues on 65 when Parrott hit a low shot which Walton claimed down to his left following a free-kick. Two minutes later, Bakinson was booked for a foul on Conor Coventry.
Town quickly regained their earlier control, however, on 72 Parrott headed over for the Dons from a corner on the right.
Two minutes later, Chaplin hit a shot which curled away from goal but was enough to excite the 6,850 behind the goal.
MK swapped McEachran for Hiram Boateng, then on 76 the Blues made a double change with Jackson, who had been hard-working and effective, and Chaplin switched for Bonne and Norwood.
Coventry was booked for hauling back Celina as the on-loan Dijon man burst towards the area in the 83rd minute with the Blues comfortably on top but still looking for the opening which would lead to a goal.
Town’s changes had given them a boost and on 87 Bonne wasn’t far away from a goal when he rose highest to nod just wide from a corner on the right.
The Dons had hardly been in the second half but in the 88th minute Boateng forced Walton into a save with a shot from just inside the box after a throw from the right had fallen to him. The loose ball was cleared ahead of Wickham.
Moments later, Morsy was booked for a foul, then Norwood was spoken to after an off-the-ball collision with Boateng.
As the fourth official’s board indicated four additional minutes, Sone Aluko replaced Bakinson for the Blues.
Walton turned a Wickham cross-shot over from a tight angle on the left with the home side looking more dangerous in the closing stages.
The Town keeper was forced into another save just before the whistle when he got across to his right to push Twine’s free-kick wide.
Despite their late chances, the Dons will be the side happiest with the draw with Town having been well in control for most of the second half.
Clear-cut chances were rare however, with Burns’s shot perhaps the closest the Blues came to taking the lead after the break.
But a draw away against MK is still a decent result and the 6,850 travelling Town fans will travel home pleased with their team’s display and showing against the division’s third-placed side.
The draw sees the Blues stay ninth but now five points from the play-offs ahead of back-to-back home matches against Burton and Cheltenham.
MK Dons: Cumming, Watson, Lewington (c), O'Hora, Darling, Twine, Corbeanu (Wickham 62), Coventry, McEachran (Boateng 75), Parrott, Harvie. Unused: Ravizzoli, Smith, Eisa, Kemp, Kesler-Hayden.
Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burns, Bakinson (Aluko 90), Morsy (c), Thompson, Chaplin (Norwood 76), Celina, Jackson (Bonne 76). Unused: Hladky, Burgess, Vincent-Young, Carroll. Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands). Att: 15,311 (Town: 6,850)