Town recorded back-to-back 0-0 draws for the first time under Kieran McKenna as they were frustrated to a goalless stalemate by 10-man Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium. The Potters were reduced in number on 67 after midfielder Jordan Thompson was dismissed for a second yellow card for something he said to the referee - having been fortunate not to have been shown a straight red in the first - with the Blues dominating from there but without ever really looking like grabbing their first goal of 2024.
Town made seven changes from the team which drew 0-0 with QPR on Friday with skipper Sam Morsy coming back into the side following his suspension along with Harry Clarke, George Edmundson, Kayden Jackson, Wes Burns, Nathan Broadhead and Axel Tuanzebe.
Out of the team were Cameron Burgess, who has joined up with the Australia squad ahead of the Asian Cup, and Freddie Ladapo, Dom Ball, Brandon Williams, Omari Hutchinson, Marcus Harness and Cameron Humphreys, who were on the bench.
While Broadhead and Burns, who was making his 100th Town league appearance, were over their illness, Leif Davis remained sidelined with his calf problem. Elkan Baggott was absent from the 20 having been on the bench on Friday after joining up with Indonesia, also for the Asian Cup.
Vaclav Hladky, making his 50th start for the club, was in goal with the back four of Tuanzebe at right-back and Harry Clarke on the left with Luke Woolfenden and George Edmundson the centre-halves.
Morsy was partnered by Massimo Luongo in the centre of midfield with Burns, Conor Chaplin and Broadhead behind striker Jackson.
Stoke made two changes from the team which drew 1-1 with Watford on Friday with midfielder Lewis Baker coming in for his first start since April for Ben Pearson.
Right-back Ki-Jana Hoever also replaced winger Sead Haksabanovic, while Lynden Gooch, Enda Stevens, Josh Laurent, Tyrese Campbell and Mehdi Leris were all unavailable due to injury.
Former Colchester man Junior Tchamadeu struck the game’s first shot from just outside the box in the third minute, Broadhead closing him down and deflecting the effort out for a corner.
The Potters had begun the game the stronger and two minutes later Baker hit a low drive from 20 yards which Hladky saved easily down to his right.
On six, following a free-kick on the left, the ball fell to home skipper Wouter Burger in the area, the Dutchman flicking the ball up and hitting an overhead kick against Woolfenden and out for a corner.
From the flag-kick, the Blues broke through Jackson, who was caught by Thompson halfway up his leg with his studs-up challenge. The striker was clearly hurt by the challenge and Thompson looked very fortunate not to have received more than the yellow card he was shown by referee Jamie Bell.
Town began to make some headway going forwards and in the 10th minute Morsy crossed from the right towards Clarke, the ball appearing to go out off Tchamadeu but referee Bell awarding a goal-kick.
In the 16th minute, Hladky claimed a cross-shot from the left following a corner, before the Blues played themselves into trouble on their right and the Czech keeper needed to make his first serious shot of the match, getting down to his right sharply to palm Ryan Mmaee’s snapshot from the edge of the area wide.
Town were trying to get their passing going, even if with one or two uncharacteristic mishaps along the way, Hladky playing the ball straight out of play among them, and on 20 tested home keeper Jack Bonham for the first time.
Clarke’s initial volley screwed well off target but found Chaplin 20 yards out in the middle from where the former Pompey man worked himself space before hitting a shot which Bonham saved to his right. Three minutes later, Broadhead cut in from the left but blazed high and wide.
Play was held up on the half hour after ref Bell suffered an injury and was replaced by fourth official Thomas Bramall, also from Sheffield.
Soon after, Jackson, with his back to goal inside the area, tried to backheel the ball through for Luongo, but the ball was too far in front of the Australian and Bonham claimed.
Moments later, Jackson claimed Bonham had picked up a backpass from a teammate but new ref Bramall wasn’t interested.
On 33, Bramall booked Morsy for a foul on Baker just inside the Town half, the Egyptian international’s 10th yellow card of the season, which means he will miss the next two Championship matches, Sunderland at home and Leicester away.
A minute later, Burns cut in from the right and struck a shot which deflected wide for a corner from which Chaplin headed the ball into the ground and wide.
In the 40th minute, Baker twisted and turned to work himself space not far outside the area but his tame shot failed to trouble Hladky.
Three minutes later, Morsy clipped over a cross from the right and Jackson nodded the ball against Potters centre-half Luke McNally.
As the half moved into three minutes of injury time, Baker tried another effort from distance, forcing Hladky to turn away his powerful low strike at a stretch to his right.
Just before the whistle, Town won a corner which came to nothing with the home fans applauding their team off.
The Blues had been better than on Friday but still without hitting their usual heights, although having had some long spells in charge.
Stoke had longer spells in charge and will feel that they had had the better opportunities with Hladky having made a couple of decent saves from efforts from distance.
Six minutes after the restart, with rain now falling, Baker was yellow carded for a late challenge on Luongon on the touchline on the left. The free-kick was sent very deep beyond the far post but Woolfenden was unable to get it under control and the ball bounced out of play.
But Town had started the half very much in the ascendent and in the 52nd minute, Chaplin played in Burns on the right of the box from where the Wales international shot from a tight angle. Bonham saved but Burns was quickly onto the loose ball and crossed towards Jackson, but the ball was forced away.
A minute later, Broadhead cut into the left of the area but was dispossessed as he looked to have found himself the space for a shot from a tight angle.
Stoke hadn’t been involved since the break but on 57, Town lost the ball and Bae Junho eventually sent a low ball across the Blues’ area but with no one there to add the final touch.
The Potters kept Town pinned in their final third in the period after that and just before the hour, Burger went through on goal and found the net but the flag having gone up long beforehand, although with most of the crowd having been oblivious to it.
With the rain now falling more heavily, the Blues made their first change on 62, Jackson, who had undergone treatment moments earlier, making way for Hutchinson with Broadhead going to the central striking role.
In the 67th minute, Stoke were reduced to 10 men after Thompson was shown the red card he probably should have received in the first half.
Having been given a free-kick after a challenge by Chaplin midway inside the Potters’ half, Thompson evidently said something out of turn to referee Bramall - perhaps encouraging him to book Chaplin - before being shown a second yellow and then a red.
With the man advantage, the Blues began to dominate, passing the ball around and prodding and probing and looking for openings with Stoke unable to get out of their final third.
On 74, Morsy clipped a cross to the far post from the left and Burns headed wide under pressure and while stretching. Ahead of the restart, Stoke switched Andre Vidigal for Ben Wilmot.
Town made a double change in the 77th minute, Harness and Jack Taylor replacing Chaplin and Luongo.
Two minutes later, Burns nodded a left-sided cross back into the area towards Harness but the sub’s effort was straight against a defender. On 80, Stoke switched Mmaee and Junho for Dwight Gayle and Daniel Johnson.
As the clock ticked past 81 minutes, there was a round of applause from both sets of supporters for Town fan Ann Austin, who died aged 81 during Friday’s game against QPR.
The Blues continued to look for the game’s opening goal and on 84, Hutchinson’s cross flicked off Taylor through to Tuanzebe and bounced off the defender to home keeper Bonham.
Stoke had shown no attacking intent since the sending off but on 86 Hoever whipped over a ball from the left but was unable to find Gayle at the far post.
With three minutes left, Town brought on Ladapo for Tuanzebe, the striker joining Broadhead in a front two as the Blues continued to look for what would surely be the winning goal.
In the penultimate scheduled minute, ahead of five added on, Clarke was booked for a foul on Johnson.
Town maintained their search for a goal in the final minutes but without looking particularly convincing against a determined Stoke rearguard and for the second time in four days the game ended goalless.
The Blues had made a decent start to the second half even before the red card but from there it was all Town but with Stoke well organised and defending resolutely, too few chances were created and Bonham wasn’t forced into making a significant save.
A frustrating start to 2024 for the Blues, who are still without a win at the Bet365 Stadium and who last recorded back-to-back goalless draws in the league under Paul Cook at Rochdale and at home to the MK Dons back in April 2021, either side of the Gamechanger 20 Ltd takeover.
The Blues, now without a win in five, remain second, still three points ahead of Southampton, who drew 1-1 at Norwich, while Leeds are four points behind the Saints following their 3-0 victory over Birmingham. Leaders Leicester are now 10 points ahead of Town having won 4-1 success at home to Huddersfield this afternoon.
Next Saturday sees Town visit AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup before returning to Championship action the following week with a home game against Sunderland and a visit to the Foxes, both without talismanic skipper Morsy.
Stoke: Bonham, Rose, Burger (c), Vidigal (Wilmot 75), Baker, Thompson, Hoever, Mmaee (Gayle 80), Junho (Johnson 80), McNally, Tchamadeu. Unused: Simkin, Wesley, Haksabanovic, Clark, Sidibe, Lowe.
Town: Hladky, Clarke, Woolfenden, Tuanzebe (Ladapo 87), Edmundson, Morsy (c), Luongo (Taylor 77), Burns, Chaplin (Harness 77), Broadhead, Jackson (Hutchinson 62). Unused: Walton, Williams, Ball, Humphreys, Aluko. Referee: James Bell (Sheffield) (Thomas Bramall 31). Att: 23,121 (Town: 2,570).