The Blues’ game against leaders Coventry City at the CBS Area remains 0-0 at half-time but with the visitors having been much the better side during the first period.

Town made four changes from the team which drew 0-0 at Millwall on Boxing Day, one enforced with Leif Davis missing out due to illness. Jacob Greaves came in for his first start since the 2-0 win against his old club Hull City just over a month ago and his first at left-back since the home match with Brentford in May.

Jack Taylor returned at the centre of midfield, Sindre Walle Egeli wide on the right and Jack Clarke on the left with Jens Cajuste, Kasey McAteer and Jaden Philogene dropping to the bench. Cameron Humphreys returned to the squad.

Boss Kieran McKenna was taking charge of his 197th Town game, four years to the day since his first, a 1-0 home win against Wycombe Wanderers in League One, moving him above Bill McGarry in terms of most matches with the club and up to eighth behind Sir Bobby Robson, Scott Duncan, George Burley, Sir Alf Ramsey, Mick McCarthy, Bobby Ferguson and John Lyall.

Former Blues central defender Luke Woolfenden started for leaders Coventry, who made two changes from the side which beat Swansea 1-0 at home on Boxing Day.

Miguel Brau replaced Jake Bidwell at left-back and Haji Wright took over from one-time Town target Ellis Simms up front. Centre-half Bobby Thomas again missed out with a calf strain.

The Blues began brightly, seeing most of the ball in the opening minutes. On 10, Town created the game’s first chance, Greaves crossing from the left to the far post and Ivan Azon nodding into home keeper Carl Rushworth’s arms.

Two minutes later, Cedric Kipre was given space just outside the area to shoot but his effort struck Woolfenden. However, the Ivorian stayed up and he and Greaves exchanged passes on the left to win a corner.

Town continued to dominate the division’s top side, Woolfenden blocking a Clarke shot from inside the box.

Coventry were struggling to make any headway going forward with the Blues quickly winning back possession every time the Sky Blues threatened to push into their half. On 18, Liam Kitching was booked for clattering into the back of Clarke’s heels on halfway.

The home side threatened for the first time in the 22nd minute, Ephron Mason-Clark nodding tamely to Christian Walton following a bout of head tennis after a long throw from the left.

Town should have gone ahead a minute later. Walle Egeli’s low cross from the right reached Clarke, who shot very narrowly wide of Rushworth’s left post from around 10 yards.

Soon after, Clarke fed in Greaves on the left inside the Blues’ half, the stand-in full-back playing a pass forward for Azon to chase. The Spaniard beat Woolfenden for pace before cutting in and curling an effort into Rushworth’s arms as he tried to replicate his goal in the game against the Sky Blues at Portman Road.

After a stop-start spell for a couple of injuries, and with Coventry seeing more of the ball, Town counter-attacked in the 35th minute, Matusiwa shooting well over from just outside the area.

Four minutes later, the Blues put together another excellent patient move with the ball moving from left to right before Furlong, who had been involved in an ongoing battle with Mason-Clark throughout, clipped a cross to the far post where Greaves stooped to head goalwards but too close to Rushworth.

As the half moved into its final five minutes, the Blues went even closer to going in front. Greaves played in Clarke on the left, the former Sunderland man cut back to Taylor breaking into the area. The Irish international struck a shot which was bound for the roof of the net until Rushworth somehow tipped it onto the bar.

Greaves dived in to head the loose ball over the line but a combination of the keeper and a defender bundled it behind, Rushworth requiring treatment for a knock suffered in the clash before carrying on.

Furlong flicked a header over at the near post from the corner, then in the 44th minute Taylor mishit wide from the edge of the area.

After three minutes of additional time, referee Anthony Backhouse ended a half in which the Blues had been very much on top, the only frustration that they weren’t going in a goal to the good.

Town had been in control from the off, creating a number of opportunities, the best Clarke’s shot wide and Taylor’s which Rushworth did very well to push onto the bar.

The Sky Blues, the division’s top scorers by some distance, had only managed one effort on or off target in the entire half, Mason-Clark’s header, which was comfortable for Walton.

However, Coventry have had a knack of finding a way to win games when they’ve not played well, so Town will need to maintain the same level of performance in the second half, while taking at least one of their chances.

Coventry: Rushworth, Van Ewijk, Woolfenden, Kitching, Brau, Grimes, Torp, Sakamoto, Rudoni, Mason-Clark, Wright. Subs: Wilson, Allen, Simms, Kesler-Hayden, Bidwell, Latibeaudiere, Eccles, Perry, Andrews.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Kipre, Greaves, Matusiwa, Taylor, Walle Egeli, Nunez, Clarke, Azon. Subs: Palmer, Young, Johnson, Humphreys, Cajuste, Burns, McAteer, Philogene, Akpom. Referee: Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria).

Photo: Matchday Images