Blackburn 0-0 Derby: Paul Clement's side miss out on top six

Derby missed out on the chance to break into the Sky Bet Championship's top six with a 0-0 draw at Blackburn.

The Rams arrived at Ewood Park on the back of a six-game unbeaten run that suggested they were adapting to new manager Paul Clement's philosophy after a shaky start.

However, that form was not evident as Rovers recorded their fourth consecutive home clean sheet in a row, a fact that bodes well ahead of the visit of east Lancashire neighbours Burnley this weekend.

Clarets manager Sean Dyche was in attendance to see the home side create the better openings, but efforts from Markus Olsson, Tom Lawrence and John O'Sullivan never truly troubled visiting goalkeeper Scott Carson.

Derby began on the back foot despite recent form, Chris Taylor heading a Lawrence corner wide after his marker had fallen down.

The Rams had scored nine in their past three fixtures but aside from a Johnny Russell attempt that was deflected over by a Shane Duffy block and Tom Ince's try from range that keeper Jason Steele pushed away, Clement's side offered little going forward.

For all Blackburn's slick passing in midfield the in-form Jordan Rhodes remained on the game's periphery, and it was full-back Olsson who came closest to scoring in the first period with a shot across Carson that the Rams stopper tipped wide.

A largely mundane affair threatened to break into something more exciting with a flurry of bookings on the stroke of half-time that was kicked off by Bradley Johnson's caution for clashing with Hope Akpan, who went down clutching his face in an off-the-ball incident.

Both Duffy and fellow centre-back Grant Hanley, each one booking away from a suspension ahead of Saturday's derby, wisely opted to steer clear of the pushing match that ensued.

Recent Wales cap Lawrence was the home side's brightest spark and he drove a shot into Carson's body at the beginning of the second period after Olsson had glided past Republic of Ireland full-back Cyrus Christie with ease.

Rovers' other opportunities were falling to players not renowned for their finishing as Corry Evans, without a goal since January, blazed a decent chance over after good work from Rhodes and Taylor.

The Rams had failed to find the net in only two of their 11 Championship games to date and Clement attempted to inject some life into their attack by introducing Darren Bent with 20 minutes to spare.

Yet it was another substitute, Blackburn's O'Sullivan, who almost had a bigger impact with a shot that looped off Richard Keogh and into Carson's hands after the keeper had already committed to the shot.

Neither side could produce a grandstand finish, though, and Ben Marshall's attempt into the side netting with eight minutes remaining was the last effort of note.