A dour goalless draw was enough to push Bolton back into second in the table but left Birmingham with fading promotion hopes.

In truth, Bolton created little throughout the game but Trevor Francis's side rarely threatened in front of Birmingham's biggest crowd of the season of 26,051, who witnessed the opening of the new Railway End at St Andrew's.

Birmingham were presented with an early chance when Robbie Elliott gave the ball away to Martin Grainger but the midfielder's effort hit the wrong side of the post.

Bolton, pinned in their own half in the opening minutes, almost snatched a breakaway lead with their first attack of note.

Former Wimbledon striker Dean Holdsworth's surge through the heart of the defence teed the ball up for the onrushing Michael Johansen, the Dane's crisp 12-yard shot beating goalkeeper Kevin Poole but clattering off the crossbar.

Graham Hyde, making his debut after a free transfer from Sheffield Wednesday, and Peter Ndlovu both saw efforts clear the bar before Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal was tested for the first time after 24 minutes.

Bryan Hughes's 18-yard volley forced the Finland international to parry, with Mark Fish escorting the loose ball to safety under pressure from Paul Furlong.

Another breakaway from Colin Todd's side was almost rewarded three minutes later. Neat interplay from Mike Whitlow, Holdsworth and skipper Scott Sellars ended with the latter's header clearing the bar by inches.

A flurry of activity before the interval saw Jaaskelainen fist out a Furlong effort at his near-post before Sellars nodded Darren Purse's goalbound header from the subsequent corner off the line.

Two minutes before the break, Birmingham defender Simon Charlton inadvertently kept the game goalless, deflecting Holdsworth's goal-bound downward header over the bar.

Within seconds of the restart, Purse's perfectly timed challenge on Neil Cox in the penalty area denied the full-back a shooting chance and 10 minutes later Purse could have scored at the other end, but the centre-back showed a lack of killer instinct in front of goal, ballooning a free header from a Grainger corner over the bar.

A swift break from Ndlovu after Elliott clattered Furlong in the centre circle, ended with Hyde testing Jaaskelainen from 25 yards.

Ndlovu then watched as his speculative 75th minute effort was spilled by Jaaskelainen but the giant keeper did well to recover.

Bolton had failed to test Poole in the second period, encouraging Todd to throw on Danish international striker Bo Hansen, a recent £1million capture from Brondby, for his debut 12 minutes from time.

Substitute Nicky Forster might have won it at the death for City after latching onto Grainger's piercing cross-field ball, but his cross-shot was held well down to his right by Jaaskelainen.

Teams

Birmingham: Poole, Bass, Charlton, Purse, Rowett, Grainger, Hyde (Forster 81), O'Connor, Furlong (Adebola 87), Hughes,Ndlovu (Robinson 81).

Booked: Grainger, Hyde.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Cox, Whitlow, Frandsen, Elliott, Fish, Johansen, Jensen (Hansen 76), Holdsworth (Gardner 76), Taylor,Sellars.

Subs Not Used: Phillips.

Booked: Cox, Elliott.

Att: 26,051

Ref: M Pierce (Portsmouth).