Stoke City held on to a 0-0 scoreline away at Birmingham, as goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen produced a superb second-half save to deny the Blues their second home Barclays Premier League win in the space of 72 hours.
In one of the match defining moments, the Dane kept out a bullet header from Blues striker Garry O'Connor at full stretch from a Sebastian Larsson free-kick in the second half.
Both sides have now secured four points from their opening three matches of the campaign and will be satisfied from their performance.
With no lack of effort and commitment, the game did lack quality with Blues midfielder Barry Ferguson showing any composure on the ball and ability to pass.
However, Stoke looked the more threatening in the opening 45 minutes as Birmingham had to be alert in dealing with a series of long Rory Delap throws into the box.
The home side, who had defeated Portsmouth at St Andrews on Wednesday, came more into the game after the introduction up front of record signing Christian Benitez and wide player Larsson.
While, Birmingham midfielder Lee Bowyer returned to the starting line-up, after completing a three game suspension for his sending off against Preston last season, and replaced Larsson.
Alex McLeish was forced to make two other changes with the injured Gregory Vignal and Cameron Jerome, who were replaced by Stuart Parnaby and Kevin Phillips respectively.
Tony Pulis recalled midfielder Liam Lawrence and striker Ricardo Fuller after resting them following their 4-0 mid-week drubbing at Liverpool with Richard Cresswell and Dean Whitehead dropping down to the substitutes' bench.
Blues keeper Joe Hart palmed away a cross from Matthew Etherington when under pressure from James Beattie who needed treatment behind the goal after landing awkwardly. Beattie tried to resume but was substituted after 12 minutes by Dave Kitson.
Franck Queudrue brought the home fans to life with the only worthwhile on-target effort from either side in the opening 45 minutes.
He ventured forward to send in a powerful 25-yard drive which Stoke keeper Sorensen was only able to fist into the air.
Stoke had an escape when Danny Higginbotham failed to make proper contact with a low James McFadden corner at his near post.
The ball went behind him and rebounded just wide of a surprised Birmingham striker O'Connor.
Delap caused panic in the Birmingham box with one long range throw and Keith Fahey was forced to head over his own bar from almost on his goal-line.
The veteran Phillips got little change up front from Abdoulaye Faye and Birmingham looked one-paced during the first half, missing the running power of Jerome.
McLeish made his first change after 53 minutes with the ineffective Phillips replaced by record signing Benitez as he looked to inject some life into his attack.
Hart was called upon to make his first save after 56 minutes as Fuller got in behind the Blues defence but he failed to make proper contact with his shot and did not seriously test the on loan Manchester City keeper.
Fuller should also have done better when O'Connor misdirected his clearance when trying to deal with an inswinging Etherington free-kick but he headed over from close range.
McLeish brought on Larsson to replace Bowyer just after the hour mark and he immediately made a telling impact.
His powerful free-kick picked out O'Connor whose fierce header forced a fine save out of Sorensen at full stretch away to his right.
Glenn Whelan became the first player to be yellow carded after delaying Birmingham from taking a free-kick.
The game was opening up and Kitson was just off target with a glancing header from a Lawrence centre.
Fuller was booked for handling a throw from Delap in the six yard box and it was hard to understand why he protested at the decision to award Birmingham a free-kick.
