Birmingham's run of six successive victories came to an end as they played out an uninspiring goalless draw with Brighton.

The result, a fair one in a game of few chances, does extend City's unbeaten run to eight in all competitions and leaves their south-coast opponents without a win in nine.

Marlon King went closest for the home side when his right-footed effort flew just wide in the opening stages, while Craig Mackail-Smith fired narrowly off target in the second half for a Seagulls side who improved after the break.

That was about as good as it got in a game which registered 14 wayward attempts and just three on target, with visiting goalkeeper Steve Harper not forced into a single save.

Stalemate was hardly a surprise with Birmingham having not conceded in 325 league minutes going into the clash at St Andrew's, where they are unbeaten, while having to cope with the demands of four games in 10 days due to their Europa League exertions.

Blues boss Chris Hughton made just the one change from Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Leeds, on-loan top scorer Chris Wood - who claimed a League One winners' medal having spent the second half of last season with Brighton - coming in for matchwinner Nikola Zigic.

Hughton was an integral member of the coaching staff at Tottenham during Gus Poyet's time as a player at White Hart Lane, the Uruguayan admitting he learnt plenty under his stewardship as he establishes a career of his own in the dugout.

Poyet's tactics this afternoon were, however, hampered by the loss of Will Buckley in the pre-match warm-up, with five-goal Ashley Barnes regaining his place in the visitors' XI having initially been dropped.

Romain Vincelot and Inigo Calderon also came in for Gary Dicker and Lewis Dunk.