Both sides hit the post in the second half as Town and Derby played out a 0-0 draw at Pride Park. Ben Davies struck the woodwork for the Rams, then Jay Emmanuel-Thomas did the same for the Blues a few minutes later.
Town boss Paul Jewell named the expected unchanged side as he returned to the club he managed between 2007 and 2008.
The Blues probably had the best of a chanceless opening spell, the Rams failing to deal with the threat of Lee Martin playing in behind Michael Chopra on a number of occasions. On 12 Grant Leadbitter hit a low shot through to Derby keeper Frank Fielding.
Town were close to going in front in the 18th minute when Daryl Murphy broke down the left and crossed to Chopra, who turned and hit a low shot which Fielding did well to save. From the second of two resultant corners, the ball was cleared to Leadbitter on the edge of the area, but his strike was blocked.
Derby striker Theo Robinson wasted a good opportunity for the home side on 22 when he was fed in on the edge of the area but got the ball caught under his feet. It ricocheted out to Paul Green on the Rams’ right but Damien Delaney cleared his cross.
Andy Drury slammed a loose ball wide from 20 yards on 25 with the game open and with the Blues continuing to shade it.
Martin forced Fielding into the game’s best save on the half hour, the England U21 international doing well to block the ex-Manchester United man’s 25-yard strike. Moments later, Leadbitter’s less threatening effort was easier for the Derby keeper.
The Blues midfielder saw another shot deflect wide on 32, then Jay Emmanuel-Thomas curled just past the post with Town by now well on top and looking much the more threatening side.
Despite this, the Rams were close to going in front in the 35th minute. Full-back Gareth Roberts was allowed to escape down the left before sending in a low cross which Robinson diverted wide when he ought to have hit the target. Soon after, Jake Buxton headed over from a corner.
Derby were briefly presenting the greater threat and would have gone in front in the 42nd minute had Jamie Ward’s reactions been quicker. Ben Davies’s corner from the right was flicked towards goal by Robinson, it hit Ward but fortunately for Town Emmanuel-Thomas was on to it before the ex-Sheffield United man to clear.
But overall the Blues had been the better side during what had been an entertaining if not always quality opening period with Fielding much the busier of the two keepers, although with most of Town’s efforts on goal having come from distance.
Leadbitter hit an early second half effort over the bar, then Robinson failed to get a shot away when well placed inside the area. On 52 Murphy sent the ball narrowly over the bar.
After a succession of Derby corners, Robinson’s 58th minute overhead kick flew wide, then three minutes later, the Ex-Millwall man headed another flagkick wide with the home side by now having most of the chances.
The Rams were within a few inches of going in front in the 67th minute when Ward played in Davies on the left of the area. The midfielder hit a shot across Arran Lee-Barrett but off the post. Fortunately for the Blues, the loose ball fell to Delaney rather than Robinson. Soon after, Jason Scotland replaced Martin as Town switched to a more regular 4-4-2.
Emmanuel-Thomas wasn’t far from putting the Blues in front on 70 when he hit a left-foot shot which beat Fielding but which struck the post and rebounded to safety. Moments later, Tommy Smith looped over after a half-cleared corner had been returned into the box.
Derby replaced the lively Ward with Nathan Tyson on 78, then on four minutes later Lee Bowyer took over from Emmanuel-Thomas for the Blues, Ryan Stevenson coming on for Chopra on 85.
Town had Aaron Cresswell to thank in the 85th minute when he cleared Jason Shackell’s header from a corner off the line. The former Canary picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul a couple of minutes later.
Paul Green shot over from distance with two minutes of normal time remaining, then for the Blues Scotland, again making a difference from the bench, hit a shot which deflected just wide.
After the corner, Leadbitter looped the ball back into the box, Fielding flapped and Murphy’s shot was headed off the line but with referee Mark Haywood having already blown for a foul on the keeper.
That was the last of the action with a draw probably the fair result in the end with neither team doing enough to win it.
Town were on top in the first half, while the home side were better after the break. Despite there being a number of chances at bothends — and 14 Derby corners, 10 in the second half - the keepers weren’t forced into too many saves of note.
Blues boss Paul Jewell will be happy enough with the draw on his old turf, taking his side’s recent run to two defeats in 14 matches.
Derby: Fielding, Naylor, Buxton, Shackell, Roberts, Green, Bryson, Hendrick, B Davies, Ward (Tyson 78), Robinson. Unused: Severn, Bailey, Carroll, Bennett.
Town: Lee-Barrett, Edwards, Smith, Delaney, Cresswell, Leadbitter, Drury, Emmanuel-Thomas (Bowyer 82), Martin (Scotland 69), Murphy, Chopra (Stevenson 85). Unused: Wright, Sonko, Bowyer. Referee: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire). Att: 24,156 (Town: 679).
Photo: Action Images