Bristol City 0 Cardiff City 0 (half-time)

As expected, City boss Gary Johnson named the side which beat Coventry 2-0 in midweek. But there was a change on the bench, teenage defender James Wilson stepping down to accommodate fit-again midfielder Cole Skuse.

Bluebirds manager Dave Jones made four changes from the team beaten 2-0 at Norwich, recalling right-back Kevin McNaughton, midfielder Stephen McPhail and striker Jay Bothroyd, all now fully recovered from injury.

And keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos paid the price for a recent series of gaffes, losing his place to former Bristol Rovers loan signing Stuart Taylor, recruited on a short-term contract from Aston Villa on Friday.

The two managers adopted an altogether different stance during the build-up, Jones dismissing the Severnside derby as "just another game" and Johnson talking up the significance of a meeting between the Championship's seventh and ninth-placed clubs.

City boss Johnson made no attempt to play down the importance of the game, describing it as "a genuine six-pointer." And he urged his players to be relentless in their quest to regain top-six status, insisting: "They have to close Cardiff down all over the park and not let up even for a second."

Sure enough, it was the home side that held the upper hand during a frenetic opening 10 minutes, Michael McIndoe testing Taylor with a dangherous cross from the left and Bradley Orr advancing to the edge of the penalty area and sending his shot wide of the target.

When the Bluebirds finally settled, they twice threatened to take the lead from set pieces. Gabor Gyepes was allowed to rise unchallenged to meet Paul Parry's corner, only to steer his header over the bar.

Moments later, City again failed to pick up a runner in their own penalty area and Roger Johnson ghosted in to head another Parry dead ball delivery past keeper Adriano Basso. Fortunately for the Robins, Stern John was on the goal-line to head clear.

City fans again breathed a collective sigh of relief when Michael Chopra cut inside Jamie McAllister and curled his shot beyond the far post.

The game's first flashpoint came on 22 minutes, referee Lee Mason brandishing a yellow card in the direction of Nicky Maynard, whose late challenge on Johnson incensed Cardiff fans in the Wedlock Stand.

City captain Louis Carey then raised the temperature inside the stadium still further, letting fly from 30 yards and forcing Taylor into a spectacular full-length save at the expense of a corner.

The home side really should have taken the lead 11 minutes before half time, Liam Fontaine rising unhindered to meet McIndoe's corner kick with a header which sailed over the bar from eight yards out. McIndoe and Gavin Williams both sent shots wide as the Robins ended the half in the ascendancy.

City (3-5-2): Basso; Carey, McCombe, Fontaine; Orr, Johnson, Williams, McIndoe, McAllister; Maynard, John.

Cardiff (4-4-2): Taylor; McNaughton, Gyepes, R Johnson, Capaldi; Whittingham, McPhail, Ledley, Parry; Bothroyd, Chopra.

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancs)