Cardiff City 0-0 Bristol City
Adam Baker reports from Ninian Park

Goalless draws are usually boring, timid affairs - but not in this Severnside derby affair.

There were chances for both sides at a jam packed Ninian Park - most notably for Nicky Maynard who hit the crossbar.

But at the other end Louis Carey marshalled his defence superbly, backed up by terrific saves from Adriano Basso as both teams held on to their unbeaten records in the Coca-Cola Championship.

City were forced to weather a storm early on as Cardiff came out of the traps like a steam train.

City fans were in full voice on their last trip to Ninian Park

With a vociferous crowd behind them, Cardiff almost snatched a sixth minute lead when Paul Parry found time and space on the edge of the box to lash a shot just over the top.

Then moments later Jay Bothroyd was sent clear by Stephen McPhail's pass, only for Basso to stay big and make a fine stop with his body.

Captain Carey and Liam Fontaine knew they were in for a busy afternoon and the latter produced a superb block to keep Gavin Rae's driven shot away from the visiting goal.

Cardiff throught they had finally bagged a goal their play perhaps deserved when Joe Ledley went galloping towards goal unchallenged before powering a low shot past the diving body of Basso. However, as the fans on one side of the ground celebrated, it was the side-netting that had rippled, not the goal itself.

Michael McIndoe shows his frustration in the goalless draw

The lively pace of the game finally subsided, with City forced to make a substitution when Brian Wilson limped off with a shin injury to be replaced by Cardiff supporter Gavin Williams.

But it was City's other summer signing Maynard who almost put City in front six minutes before half-time. Receiving a quick throw-in from Bradley Orr, the striker turned on the edge of the box and curled a left-foot shot against the crossbar.

City improved after the interval with Adebola heading just wide from a Lee Johnson free kick, before a controversial opportunity for Maynard.

The striker wrestled clear of left-back Miguel Comminges, who felt he had been fouled, but Maynard continued and saw his angled shot tipped just past the post by a terrific diving save from Tom Heaton.

Williams looped a shot over the bar before Whittingham offered Cardiff some respite with a shot that Basso found too hot to handle, holding the ball at the second attempt.

Nicky Maynard's angled shot is saved by Tom Heaton

With the hour-mark up, McIndoe saw a close range effort blocked behind for a corner, and from the resulting set-piece Cole Skuse and Orr both headed the ball on only to see it drop inches wide of the far post.

Bothroyd warmed Basso's gloves at one end before Williams sent a 25-yard drive inches wide of Heaton's left-hand post at the other.

With 11 minutes to go Whittingham again took aim and found Basso in fine form with a superb diving save to his right, and the Brazilian also clung on.

A late Whittingham free kick was held by Basso again as the two teams were forced to share the spoils.