Birmingham failed to make it back-to-back home victories as managerless Rotherham earned a rare away point in the Sky Bet Championship as it finished 0-0 at St Andrews.
In a game of few clear-cut chances, Rotherham picked up only their second point away from home this season and increased the scrutiny on home manager Wayne Rooney, who has just one win in his first eight games in charge of the Midlands club.
Rooney’s Birmingham – watched by minority owner Tom Brady – started positively with Jay Stansfield forcing Viktor Johansson into a low save inside three minutes.
Blues dominated the early exchanges, penning Rotherham back inside their own half.
However, a fingertip save by John Ruddy on 20 minutes kept the hosts from going behind as Sam Nombe battled past Dion Sanderson and got a low strike away which the goalkeeper did well to react to.
The visitors were gaining confidence and Christ Tiehi surged down the right wing and his low ball looking for the near post run of Nombe caused problems for the home defence and Emanuel Aiwu had to clear inside the six-yard box.
Nombe hit the crossbar for the Millers when the striker beat Ruddy to a high cross and saw his header crash against the woodwork.
Birmingham wasted a couple of excellent opportunities on the counter-attack, with the final piece of quality letting the home side down far too often.
Inside minutes of the restart Blues captain Sanderson made a crucial block, some suggested with his arm, on the line to deny Oliver Rathbone, after the Millers had disposed the hosts inside their own penalty area.
In front of a restless home crowd, Birmingham struggled to gain any momentum after the interval, and it was Rotherham the more likely of the two sides to make the crucial breakthrough.
Lukas Jutkiewicz was brought off the bench to try to add firepower to the Blues’ frontline, but Johansson remained untested in the visitors’ goal.
The experienced duo of Jordan Hugill and Sean Morrison came off the bench for Rotherham to see the game out as the hosts came to life and searched for a late winner.
Johansson had to beat clear a Cody Drameh effort but Ruddy had to make a crucial save at the other end to deny Nombe before Aiwu cleared to ensure the ball did not roll over the line.
Nombe nearly turned provider when his cross reached an unmarked Hakeem Odoffin but he could not connect with the ball and wasted a precious opportunity for the visitors.
Hugill then looped a header over the crossbar with 10 minutes remaining before the hosts thought they had won it through Jutkiewicz only for the offside flag to be raised.
Plymouth Argyle 2-2 Watford: Two-goal Gray rescues point for Rooney's side
Andre Gray scored twice against his former club to salvage a point for struggling Plymouth Argyle as they drew 2-2 with Watford on Friday.
Gray curled in an equaliser in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time to seal a crucial point for Wayne Rooney's side in their bid for survival in the Championship.
The visitors made a quick start at Home Park when Ivorian striker Vakoun Bayo bundled in a cross from Yasser Larouci only eight minutes in.
Plymouth did, however, equalise against the run of play in the 23rd minute when Lewis Gibson's long ball into the box was met with a spectacular volley from Gray.
Watford regained the lead before the break when Imran Louza's free-kick was knocked back by Mattie Pollock, with centre-back Ryan Porteous on hand to steer the ball home.
But just as it looked like Watford would go home with all three points, Gray picked up the ball on the edge of the area and fired home a stunning effort beyond Daniel Bachmann.
Tom Cleverley's Watford sit in fifth place and trail leaders Sunderland by five points, while Plymouth are 17th with 17 points from 16 matches.
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Qadsiah: Aubameyang winner ends hosts' unbeaten run
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the winner as Al-Qadsiah inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday to end their 21-match unbeaten run.
Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh league goal of the season put Al-Nassr ahead, but Al-Qadsiah replied swiftly through Julian Quinones before Aubameyang struck the decisive blow.
The hosts drew first blood in the 32nd minute when Ronaldo slotted home after Al-Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels had spilled a routine catch from Talisca's cross.
However, Al-Nassr's joy was short-lived when Quinones brought down Turki Al Ammar's delivery five minutes later, with the Mexcio winger firing past Bento to level the scores.
Quinones also played a part in the winning goal after brilliantly turning the ball back across goal from Nahitan Nandez's search pass to tee up a simple finish for Aubameyang.
The result sees Al-Qadsiah move level on 22 points with third-placed Al-Nassr, with Al-Shabab also level with them.
Stefano Pioli's Al-Nassr are six points adrift of defending champions and leaders Al-Hilal, who also have a game in hand.
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