The Tigers missed the opportunity to claim a fourth successive victory as they were held to a 0-0 draw by ten-man Bristol City at the KC Stadium on Tuesday night.
The visitors were reduced to ten men in first half added time when Jamie McAllister was given a second yellow card but despite dominating territorially after the break, the Tigers created few chances.
Phil Brown once again selected the same starting eleven as Stephen McPhee continued in his role wide on the right, leaving Richard Garcia to once again settle for a place on the bench.
City were offered the first opportunity to test the Bristol defence inside three minutes following a push on Dean Windass, but Dean Marney's delivery was poor and easily headed away.
Boaz Myhill was then forced to concede a corner when Lee Johnson's cross from the right threatened to drift into the top corner of the net. Wayne Brown headed the set piece clear.
The Tigers were temporarily reduced to ten men on 19 minutes when Bryan Hughes needed attention and it was during that time that Bristol won two corners in quick succession, both of which were well dealt with by the City defence.
Hughes returned to the action, although he was struggling to run freely and the City substitutes were duly sent out to warm up.
A lack of communication between Myhill and his defence led to another Bristol corner in the 25th minute, but it was well claimed by Myhill.
A jinking run from Ivan Sproule took him past three City defenders on 27 minutes as he made his way into the box, but his final shot with the outside of his right foot drifted wide of the far post.
City then won a free kick when McPhee was brought down by McAllister, who was booked for the foul. Marney whipped the ball in, but again the defence came out on top.
Myhill had to make a fine one-handed save as Bristol almost punished City for losing possession cheaply in midfield. McAllister made a superb overlapping run before firing towards the top corner, only to be denied by the City keeper.
Michael Turner conceded a free kick on the edge of his own box for a foul on Michael McIndoe as the game neared half time. The ball was squared to McIndoe, who blazed a shot narrowly over the bar.
Hughes then won City their first corner of the game. He delivered it himself, but only found the head of a Bristol defender.
The visitors were reduced to ten men in added time when McAllister, who had only just returned from suspension, saw red for a second bookable offence, bringing Sam Ricketts down in full flight.
Half Time: Tigers 0-0 Bristol City
Both sides made a change at half time with Garcia replacing Hughes on the City left and Jamie McCombe coming on for David Noble for Bristol.
The visitors appeared to have switched to a 4-4-1 formation in the wake of the sending off, with the powerful Enoch Showunmi the lone front man.
Windass threatened early in the second half after getting on the end of a hopeful long ball, but he sent his shot straight at Adriano Basso.
After Ian Ashbee had blazed a shot well over for the Tigers, McPhee tried his luck from distance, but looped his effort over as well.
Ricketts won City a corner on 57 minutes and from it, had loud claims for a penalty turned down when the ball appeared to strike the arm of a Bristol defender after Windass had won a header.
The Tigers were dominating possession, but the Bristol defence was proving a stubborn obstacle.
City made their second change just after the hour mark when Jay-Jay Okocha replaced McPhee. That saw Garcia move over to the right with Okocha handed a largely free role.
Marney went close two minutes later with a turn and shot from the edge of the area, but the ball skimmed wide before Okocha hit a similar effort.
City made their final change with 20 minutes remaining as Caleb Folan replaced Fraizer Campbell.
Okocha won City a corner on 72 minutes when his cross was deflected behind. A short routine was worked, but the ball failed to be delivered into the box.
The Tigers had further claims for a penalty waved away in the 78th minute when Windass seemed to play the ball onto the arm of Bradley Orr, but again the referee was unimpressed.
As the game entered four minutes of added time, City won another corner, but the delivery from Marney was too long and actually set Bristol away on the counter which led to a free kick mid-way inside the City half.
The Tigers had a scare when Bristol launched another counter attack and Darren Byfield appeared to be tripped by Wayne Brown in the box, but the referee refused to award a penalty.
Tigers (4-4-2) Boaz Myhill; Sam Ricketts, Michael Turner, Wayne Brown, Damien Delaney; Stephen McPhee (Okocha 61), Dean Marney, Ian Ashbee [captain], Bryan Hughes (Garcia 46); Fraizer Campbell (Folan 70), Dean Windass.
Subs: Matt Duke, Andy Dawson, Richard Garcia, Jay-Jay Okocha, Caleb Folan.
Bookings: Nil
Bristol City (4-4-2) Adriano Basso; Bradley Orr, Louis Carey [captain], Liam Fontaine, Jamie McAllister; Ivan Sproule (Murray 67), Marvin Elliott, Lee Johnson, Michael McIndoe; David Noble (McCombe 46), Enoch Showunmi (Byfield 79).
Subs: Chris Weale, Jamie McCombe, Scott Murray, Lee Trundle, Darren Byfield.
Bookings: McAllister 29 and 45
Sent-Off: McAllister (second bookable offence)
