An uninspiring Coca-Cola Championship clash between Ipswich and Leicester ended 0-0 at Portman Road.

Town manager Roy Keane made a total of nine changes to his line-up which beat Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup during midweek.

His opposite number Nigel Pearson made four changes to his side which beat Macclesfield as they looked to record back-to-back wins at the start of the season.

Leicester had the first chance of the game through defender Jack Hobbs who headed over from close range following a good ball in from Lloyd Dyer.

The hosts moved the ball well and created a chance moments later for Jonathan Stead but he headed straight at Foxes goalkeeper Chris Weale.

Damien Delaney then had a speculative shot from distance for the Blues but his effort curled wide of the post.

Leicester's Matty Fryatt tested Richard Wright in the Ipswich goal but his effort was well saved. Robbie Nielsen then hit a long-range shot over the bar as the visitors looked to open the scoring.

On the half-hour mark Weale made his most testing save of the game when he pushed Jonathan Walters' 25-yard effort round the post.

Gareth McAuley picked up Ipswich's first booking of the new season when he tripped Steve Howard on the edge of the area - Dyer curled the resulting free-kick wide of the post as the game neared the halfway stage.

Keane made two changes at the break to try and spur his side into some attacking life replacing Colin Healy with Tamas Priskin and Stead with 16-year-old forward Connor Wickham.

The Foxes started the second half brightly and Fryatt had the first chance of the half when he drilled a shot at goal from the edge of the area but Wright made caught the ball.

Walters looked to be the dangerman for Ipswich on the left-wing and they looked to concentrate their play through their key man early in the second period.

After being tripped outside the area Walters picked himself to get on the end of the resulting free-kick from Lee Martin but he could only tamely head the ball at Weale.

With 32 minutes to play Fryatt should have given the visitors the lead when the ball dropped to him in the area but last season's club top goalscorer could only manage to put the ball wide of the upright when he should have done better.

Some bright play from David Wright created a good chance for Wickham but his flick shot at the new post crashed into the side-netting as both sides looked to break the deadlock.

As the clock ticked down neither side could manage an effort on goal to steal the points and a poor game ended all square.

Teams:

Ipswich Richard Wright, David Wright, McAuley, Balkestein,Delaney, Trotter, Healy (Priskin 46), Peters, Walters,Stead (Wickham 46), Martin (Garvan 64).

Subs Not Used: Supple, Bruce, Smith, Colback.

Booked: McAuley.

Leicester Weale, Neilson, Brown, Hobbs, Berner, Oakley,Wellens, Dyer (Adams 76), N'Guessan (Andy King 64), Howard,Fryatt (Waghorn 63).

Subs Not Used: Logan, Morrison, Tunchev, Dickov.

Booked: Wellens, Howard, Waghorn, Weale.

Att: 22,454

Ref: Phil Crossley (Kent).