Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 0, Derby County 0.
BlackburnBlackburn Rovers0DerbyDerby County0
Derby missed the chance to move third in the Championship after a goalless draw away at Blackburn in a match with few clear chances.
Tom Ince tried a long-range shot for Derby in the first half that was well saved to his right by Jason Steele.
After the break County's Scott Carson kept out a Tom Lawrence shot, while some neat interplay from Rovers ended with Corry Evans scuffing over the bar.
Derby are seventh and Rovers are 17th despite a fifth unbeaten home game.
The Rams extended their unbeaten league run to seven matches, but having scored nine in their last three games, they offered relatively little going forward at Ewood Park.
A largely tame opening period erupted with a flurry of bookings on the stroke of half-time, sparked by Bradley Johnson's caution for clashing with Rovers' Hope Akpan, who went down clutching his face in an off-the-ball incident.
The visitors had failed to find the net in only two of their 11 previous Championship games and introduced former Aston Villa and England striker Darren Bent with 20 minutes remaining.
But it was another substitute, Blackburn's John O'Sullivan, who almost had a bigger impact as his shot looped off Richard Keogh and then safely into Carson's hands with the goalkeeper already committed.
Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer: "That's four clean sheets on the trot at home which is a fabulous performance from our boys on that front.
"A little bit more luck, we could have been talking about an outstanding win.
"From an organisational point of view, discipline, character, spirit, against a very expensive and experienced Derby side who, rightly, are promotion favourites and will be right up there - we were excellent."
Derby head coach Paul Clement: "On reflection, I think it's a good point. I don't think either team really deserved to win the game.
"It was a game of few clear-cut opportunities for us and them. The clean sheet is pleasing, the unbeaten run is pleasing.
"Of course we want to play better and create more chances. We weren't able to do that and who knows, at the end of the season, coming away here and getting a point could be extremely valuable."
Line-ups
Blackburn
Formation 4-4-2
- 30Steele
- 10MarshallSubstituted forSpurrat 90+4'minutes
- 22Duffy
- 5Hanley
- 14Olsson
- 7Delfouneso
- 29EvansBooked at 88mins
- 21AkpanBooked at 62minsSubstituted forWilliamsonat 84'minutes
- 19TaylorBooked at 45minsSubstituted forO'Sullivanat 76'minutes
- 16LawrenceBooked at 34mins
- 11Rhodes
Substitutes
- 3Spurr
- 17Williamson
- 18O'Sullivan
- 20Petshi
- 24Nyambe
- 26Lenihan
- 33Raya
Derby
Formation 4-3-3
- 17Carson
- 2Christie
- 6KeoghBooked at 45mins
- 14Shackell
- 37WarnockSubstituted forForsythat 79'minutes
- 18ButterfieldSubstituted forHansonat 71'minutes
- 34Thorne
- 15JohnsonBooked at 41mins
- 23Ince
- 9MartinSubstituted forBentat 71'minutes
- 11Russell
Substitutes
- 1Grant
- 3Forsyth
- 10Bent
- 12Baird
- 16Pearce
- 24Weimann
- 26Hanson
- Referee:
- Darren Drysdale
- Attendance:
- 12,968
Match Stats
Home TeamBlackburnAway TeamDerby
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away1
- Corners
- Home6
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 0, Derby County 0.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Thomas Spurr replaces Ben Marshall.
Post update
Offside, Derby County. Craig Forsyth tries a through ball, but Darren Bent is caught offside.
Post update
Jason Shackell (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn Rovers).
Booking
Corry Evans (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Johnny Russell (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Corry Evans (Blackburn Rovers).
Post update
Foul by George Thorne (Derby County).
Post update
Corry Evans (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Richard Keogh (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Nathan Delfouneso (Blackburn Rovers).
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Lee Williamson replaces Hope Akpan because of an injury.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Hope Akpan (Blackburn Rovers) because of an injury.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Hope Akpan.
Post update
Attempt saved. John O'Sullivan (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Hope Akpan.
Substitution
Substitution, Derby County. Craig Forsyth replaces Stephen Warnock.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. John O'Sullivan replaces Chris Taylor.
