Match ends, Ipswich Town 0, Cardiff City 0.
IpswichIpswich Town0CardiffCardiff City0
Ipswich Town's run without a win extended to seven Championship games as Cardiff City were held to a second consecutive drab goalless draw.
Daryl Murphy's first-half header was pushed onto the post by Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall, who also spared Sean Morrison from an own goal.
Cardiff improved after the break but Sammy Ameobi and Craig Noone failed to convert from in front of goal.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles volleyed over the bar as Ipswich struggled to create.
Mick McCarthy's side have now taken just five points from a possible 21, plummeting the early leaders down to 14th in the table.
Cardiff manager Russell Slade will take comfort from a point away from home that extends their unbeaten run to six games, but there was little to suggest his team know how to end an alarming lack of goals.
The Bluebirds have now managed to score just 15 times in 14 games - twice in the last five - and were again short of creativity and bite up front.
They arrived on the back of three consecutive clean sheets, an achievement that owed much to the outstanding form of Marshall.
The Scotland international was again at his best in the first half at Portman Road, pushing Murphy's header on to the post and then reacting quickly to keep out Morrison's attempted clearance.
Another Murphy header was the best Ipswich could muster after the break before Maitland-Niles failed to keep his volley down in the best chance of the closing stages.
Cardiff's improvement saw chances fall to Ameobi and twice to substitute Noone, but both showed a lack of composure to finish from low crosses.
Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy:
"Last season, we probably would have won that. But we played well against a good side who were always going to be a tough nut to crack.
"It was always likely to be a goal either way but overall I thought we played well and put in a good performance.
"We are being far more competitive and when we keep a clean sheet, it does give us something to build on rather than conceding a goal and putting added pressure on us."
Cardiff boss Russell Slade:
"I do see it as a very good point as Ipswich is always a difficult place to come - and it has been a very difficult place for Cardiff in the past.
"We are on a good run at the minute, from a defensive point of view, but clearly our problems are at the other end.
"We actually had more shots than Ipswich and we had one or two good chances in the second half but our options up front are limited at the minute."
Line-ups
Ipswich
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Gerken
- 4Chambers
- 5SmithBooked at 45mins
- 6Berra
- 2Parr
- 7Maitland-NilesSubstituted forOarat 81'minutes
- 8SkuseBooked at 87mins
- 17BruBooked at 79mins
- 20Sears
- 10McGoldrick
- 9MurphySubstituted forPitmanat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 11Pitman
- 15Oar
- 16Coke
- 21Malarczyk
- 22Douglas
- 29Emmanuel
- 33Bialkowski
Cardiff
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Marshall
- 2Peltier
- 4Morrison
- 16ConnollyBooked at 34mins
- 3da SilvaSubstituted forMaloneat 31'minutes
- 38AmeobiBooked at 11minsSubstituted forNooneat 76'minutes
- 17Gunnarsson
- 7WhittinghamBooked at 85minsSubstituted forPilkingtonat 88'minutes
- 8RallsBooked at 43mins
- 19RevellBooked at 82mins
- 10Mason
Substitutes
- 11Noone
- 13Pilkington
- 20Tamas
- 21Moore
- 22O'Keefe
- 23Kennedy
- 28Malone
- Referee:
- David Coote
- Attendance:
- 17,169
Match Stats
Home TeamIpswichAway TeamCardiff
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Ipswich Town 0, Cardiff City 0.
Post update
Attempt saved. Alex Revell (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Anthony Pilkington.
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Anthony Pilkington replaces Peter Whittingham.
Post update
Attempt missed. Craig Noone (Cardiff City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Peter Whittingham with a cross following a set piece situation.
Post update
Foul by Luke Chambers (Ipswich Town).
Post update
Joe Ralls (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Booking
Cole Skuse (Ipswich Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Cole Skuse (Ipswich Town).
Post update
Craig Noone (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Brett Pitman (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City).
Booking
Alex Revell (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Tommy Smith (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Alex Revell (Cardiff City).
Substitution
Substitution, Ipswich Town. Tommy Oar replaces Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Substitution
Substitution, Ipswich Town. Brett Pitman replaces Daryl Murphy.
Post update
Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Sean Morrison (Cardiff City).
