Championship Birmingham City and Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers cancelled each other out in a 0-0 FA Cup draw on Saturday.
Sylvain Ebanks-Blake had the best chances for Mick McCarthy’s side but neither they, nor Chris Hughton’s hosts, could make the vital breakthrough in the derby clash at St Andrews.
It was in truth an affair of low quality in the midlands in front of a sparse crowd who, prior to kick-off, gave a minute's applause for former Blues defender Gary Ablett who died last week.
Wolves new boy Eggert Jonsson fired a 20-yard drive over the bar in a rare chance in the first 45 minutes, with Jordan Mutch similarly off target at the other end.
Ex-Blues defender Roger Johnson headed over a corner from the recalled Michael Kightly before Dorus De Vries held a Mutch shot, though neither the Dutchman nor opposite Colin Doyle had a meaningful save to make in the first half hour.
The greatest joy the home fans got was when their former hero Johnson went down clutching his ankle and was immediately replaced by Kevin Foley, though Wolves attacker Ebanks-Blake almost silenced them when Stephen Ward picked him out free in the area. His effort rebounded off of Doyle though and the half-time whistle came and went with the deadlock intact.
Ebanks-Blake tried his luck again early in the second half, but the effort was well kept out by Doyle, and the former Manchester United sttiker also flashed a shot across the Birmingham goal and wide.
The striker continued to have the best chances and really should have put a gap between the sides when Kightly got to the by-line and squared for him but, from 12 yards out, he shot over.
As Wolves continued to be the dominant force now, Curtis Davies had to throw himself in front of a Kightly shot before Karl Henry flicked up a free-kick for Stephen Hunt but he volleyed too high.
Blues youngster Nathan Redmond has been attracting plenty of top flight scouts, and his shot midway through the second half needed Adam Rooney to get in the way of it.
Birmingham sub Jean Beausejour fluffed a chance for a winner before Redmond’s low shot was held by De Vries.
The final chance then fell to Wolves when Matt Jarvis’ shot was touched onto the post by Doyle before the ‘keeper heroically kept out Steven Fletcher’s follow-up header. Almost a dramatic finish but not quiet as the teams will have to do it all again at Molineux.