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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."