The Blues will rue missing a number of chances after drawing 1-1 at Leeds. Shefki Kuqi put Town ahead on 11 but Leeds hit back through Matthew Spring within a minute, however the Finn and Darren Currie both had golden opportunities to take all three points back to Portman Road.
As expected Pablo Couñago came into the side as part of a three-man forward line. Also returning to the starting line-up were Jim Magilton and Lewis Price, with Ian Westlake and Darren Currie dropping to the bench, while Kelvin Davis was back in Suffolk with his wife and their newborn son.
Drissa Diallo, back in the squad for the first time since his pre-Christmas hamstring injury, took a place on the bench ahead of Matt Richards. Davis's absence meant that Youth Cup hero Shane Supple was amongst the subs.
The game's first serious goalmouth action led to the first goal. Kuqi was found by Kevin Horlock 20 yards out, the Finn taking the ball on and flummoxing Gary Kelly with a couple of tricks before striking a shot which beat Neil Sullivan. It Kuqi's first away goal for six matches.
Straight from the kick-off Leeds hit back. Frazer Richardson crossed from the right and Matthew Spring headed home from close range. Town had been seriously caught cold after Kuqi's goal.
The game continued to be a scrappy midfield battle with chances very rare. On 28 Couñago and Miller played a one-two on the right of the area, Kevin Horlock volleying the Spaniard's cross over the bar from the edge of the box.
Just after the half hour, Kuqi had the chance to put the Blues ahead again. Jim Magilton made the pass of the day from around the halfway mark, putting the former Sheffield Wednesday man through on goal. Sadly for Town Kuqi failed to control the ball and the opportunity was wasted.
As the game entered injury time, Tommy Miller hit a weak left-foot shot which gave Sullivan little trouble, before Richardson screwed a shot well wide, an effort which summed up a disappointing half.
Town started the second period brightly and on 54 Tommy Miller sent Darren Bent away down the right, the striker cutting inside but Clarke Carlisle making a fine challenge with Kuqi and Couñago well-placed inside the area. Soon after, Ian Westlake replaced Kevin Horlock in the Town midfield.
Darren Bent picked up a rare yellow card for a foul on Michael Gray in the 59th minute. Two minutes later the striker came close to a goal when Kuqi made a break down the left and found him on the right of the box. The striker hit a shot which was deflected wide.
On 62 Drissa Diallo took over from David Unsworth, the Guinean international slotting in at right-back and Fabian Wilnis moving to the left.
Former Blue Jermaine Wright came on in the 70th minute, to boos from the Town support, taking over from Simon Walton who himself had only come on two minutes beforehand. Walton had come off worse from a fair challenge with Drissa Diallo.
A minute later, Miller teed-up Bent but his weak shot failed to test Sullivan. Moments later Pablo Couñago was replaced with Darren Currie. The Spaniard had shown some decent touches in the first half but had lost possession all too easily and too often during the second.
Fabian Wilnis carved out an opportunity in the 72nd minute, his low ball to the near post almost finding Kuqi and Currie but a defender's foot intervened. Rob Hulse had the ball in the Town net not long after but the linesman's flag had been raised for an offside.
Currie had a shot blocked after Wilnis had fed him through inside the area, before Miller shot just over the bar from 20 yards.
Hulse went well wide from 20 yards as the game entered the final five minutes but overall Leeds seemed happy for the game to remain at 1-1.
Town had created much more in the final 15 minutes or so and Kuqi almost scored with a minute of normal time left. Currie played the ball from wide on the left to Kuqi on the right, the Finn hitting a decent effort across the face of goal.
As the game moved into injury time, Darren Currie had a superb chance to win the Blues the three points. Fabian Wilnis sent Darren Bent away on the left, the striker laying the ball back to the former Brighton man who sidefooted just wide from eight yards when it seemed easier to score.
A game Town should have won, having completely controlled virtually the whole of the second half and having had the chances to win comfortably. Leeds rarely showed any ambition for anything more than a draw and will be happy with the point.
Lewis Price didn't have a save to make other than the goal which was the result of the Blues switching off after scoring their goal.
Most Town frowns were removed from faces when news of Wigan's 0-0 draw at home to QPR came through, knowing that the Blues' automatic promotion chances live to be fought for another day, even if Sunderland's promotion has now been confirmed.
Town: Price, Wilnis, Unsworth (Diallo 62), De Vos, Naylor, Magilton, Horlock (Westlake 55), Miller, Kuqi, Bent, Couñago (Currie 71). Unused: Supple, Scowcroft. Att: 29,607.