Rams Claim A Point

Derby County`s run of clean sheets continued as they battled for a 0-0 draw with Burnley at Turf Moor in a game of few chances. The windy conditions didn`t help matters and neither keeper was called into action on a regular basis in the firsthalf but Frank Fielding kept out a Charlie Austin header at full stretch just after the break. Ryan Noble replaced Theo Robinson with just over half an hour to go to mark the start of his second loan period with the club and Keith Treacy`s wind assisted cross came back off the inside of the post when the ball beat Fielding. Shaun Barker glanced a header wide when he perhaps could have done better and Fielding made another superb save from Jay Rodriguez at the far post as Derby claimed a point and have not conceded a goal so far this year.

Nigel Clough went with the same side who beat Coventry City last weekend with the only change to the matchday squad being the inclusion of the on loan Ryan Noble on the substitutes bench. Burnley started brightly on a windy afternoon and Keith Treacy found Charlie Austin inside the box but his effort was blocked by Jason Shackell, the same player threatened again on nine minutes when Jay Rodriguez picked him out with a cross from the right but he headed over under pressure from Shaun Barker.

The conditions weren`t helping either side play football although Dean Marney flashed two efforts wide of the mark from distance with The Rams` best moments coming on the break but they weren`t able to test Lee Grant in the Burnley goal. As the half came to a close Paul Green headed over from a Jamie Ward corner and Theo Robinson forced a save from Grant but it was a straight forward save for the former Derby keeper as the sides went in goalless at the break.

Jeff Hendrick came on at the break in place of James Bailey to complete his return from an ankle injury that saw him miss the last month and he spearheaded a quick start to the second period with Derby winning three quick corners but they couldn`t capitalise on the early pressure. At the other end Austin brought a smart save out of Frank Fielding when his header from a Marney cross was pushed away at full stretch by the Rams` stopper. Ryan Noble was introduced from the bench in place of Robinson on fiftyfive minutes and Jamie Ward`s effort was deflected into the side netting a few minutes later.

Fielding had a stroke of luck with twenty minutes to go when Treacy`s deep cross from the left caught in the wind and sailed over his head only to bounce back off of the post and Shackell completed the clearance at the expense of a corner. Craig Bryson had a shot deflected wide of the mark and from the resulting corner Barker couldn`t make firm enough contact to trouble Grant as his header was wide of the mark.

Austin`s low effort was not far away with ten minutes to go and Fielding made a superb save at the far post to block a Rodriguez effort as he looked to open the scoring from a low Marvin Bartley cross. Jake Buxton came on in place of Callum Ball to help tighten things up at the back in the closing stages and The Rams saw out four minutes of injury time to claim a point.

Burnley: Grant, Trippier, Duff, McCann, Wallace (McQuoid 46), Marney, Rodriguez, Edgar, Austin, Treacy (Bartley 72), Mee.

Subs Not Used: Jensen, Hines, Easton.

Derby County: Fielding, Brayford, Barker, Shackell, Roberts, Green, Bailey (Hendrick 46), Bryson, Ward, Ball (Buxton 84), Robinson (Noble 57).

Subs Not Used: Legzdins, B Davies.

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