The Sky Blues played out a goalless draw with Birmingham City in a game of few chances at St Andrew’s.
City’s best opportunity fell to Tyler Walker, who saw his header well saved in the first half before Marko Marosi made a stunning fingertip save to deny Lukas Jutkiewicz late on.
The draw means the Sky Blues end a run of back-to-back defeats and are now unbeaten in their last two home matches.
Mark Robins made four changes from the side beaten at Watford with Fankaty Dabo and Kyle McFadzean returning in defence, captain Liam Kelly starting in midfield and Walker leading the line in attack, making his first home start for the club.
The visitors created the game’s opening chance when Mikel San Jose delivered a cross from the left that was headed wide by former City man Jutkiewicz from six-yards out.
City then came close to breaking the deadlock when Kelly spotted the run of Walker in-behind the Birmingham defence only for Neil Etheridge to deny the striker’s headed effort from close range.
Shortly before half-time, George Friend tried his luck from distance with his effort going well wide of the left-hand post.
HALF-TIME: SKY BLUES 0-0 BIRMINGHAM CITY
Kelly and Walker combined again early in the second-half with the striker not quite able to cleanly connect with the midfielder’s pass.
The Sky Blues continued to search for the opening goal when Ben Sheaf picked out Walker who cut inside of his man only to see his effort blocked before Callum O’Hare scuffed the rebound wide.
Robins made a double change midway through the second period with Leo Ostigard and Max Biamou introduced in place of Ben Sheaf and Jordan Shipley.
With 20 minutes to go Jeremie Bela found substitute Jon Toral in space on the edge of the penalty area from a corner from the right, but headed his effort harmlessly over the crossbar.
A fizzing 25-yard drive from Ivan Sunjic forced Marosi into a save five minutes later, with the keeper doing well to smother the midfielder’s effort.
Birmingham almost snatched a winner 10 minutes from time when Maxime Colin’s cross from the right was headed into the ground by Jutkiewicz and tipped onto the woodwork by the fingertips of Marosi to keep the scores level.
Jutkiewicz came close to scoring again moments later, scrambling the ball wide on the stretch after another delivery from the right.
FULL-TIME: SKY BLUES 0-0 BIRMINGHAM CITY
Goals: N/A
Yellows: Sheaf (53’)
Sky Blues XI: Marko Marosi (GK), Fankaty Dabo (Giles 76’), Kyle McFadzean, Dom Hyam, Sam McCallum, Liam Kelly (C), Ben Sheaf (Ostigard 69’), Gustavo Hamer, Jordan Shipley (Biamou 69’), Callum O’Hare, Tyler Walker
Unused Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Jordon Thompson, Jamie Allen, Wesley Jobello, Will Bapaga, Amadou Bakayoko
Birmingham City XI: Neil Etheridge (GK), Maxime Colin, Marc Roberts, Harlee Dean (C), George Friend, Mikel San Jose, Ivan Sunjic, Ivan Sanchez, Riley McGree (Toral 59’), Jeremie Bela, Lukas Jutkiewicz
Unused Subs: Andres Prieto (GK), Kristian Pedersen Josh Dacres-Cogley, Maikel Kieftenbeld, Gary Gardner, Dan Crowley, Jonathan Leko, Scott Hogan