Derby County were forced to settle for a point on the road in Sky Bet League One on Saturday afternoon as they played out a 0-0 draw at Fleetwood Town.
The stalemate was the Rams’ second in as many games on the road following a goalless draw at Shrewsbury Town in midweek.
Liam Rosenior’s side were quick out the traps and created several goalscoring opportunities, with Lewis Dobbin, Conor Hourihane, James Collins and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing all going close, but they were unable to turn their dominance into goals in the opening 45 minutes.
It was a similar story in the second period as the Rams continued to ask questions of the hosts, who also had their moments too as they threw some crosses and long throws into the penalty area, although the elusive goal they craved wasn’t forthcoming in the first-ever competitive meeting between the clubs.
Derby started the contest extremely well in blustery conditions at Highbury Stadium with three attempts on goal registered inside the opening ten minutes of play,
First Dobbin used his quick feet to create a shooting opportunity inside the box which Jay Lynch was equal to after only four minutes, while moments later Hourihane’s long-range effort was pushed away by the home goalkeeper as Derby kept the pressure on.
A good passage of play, with the Rams moving the ball around quickly and smartly, ended with Collins flicking the ball over the bar from inside the box after getting in front of his marker to connect with Forsyth’s left-wing delivery.
Mendez-Laing had an efforted deflected over and Hourihane’s low effort from a corner was easily claimed by Lynch as Derby’s early pressure continued in the North West by the 20 minute mark.
Fleetwood’s first noteworthy effort came with 28 minutes played, as a result of the Rams enjoying so much of the ball, with Josh Vela thumping an effort high over Wildsmith’s crossbar.
Derby continued to probe and press in search of the game’s opening goal and Collins went close with a rasping left-foot effort inside the penalty area on 38 minutes, however Lynch was equal to it with a good reaction stop.
Knight blasted narrowly over from distance, advancing forward from right-back as Rosenior’s side worked the ball across the pitch quickly, five minutes before the internal, while seconds before the break Hourihane’s low corner was turned goalwards by a home defender but Lynch managed to claw the ball off the goalline.
The second half started with the Rams having some defending to do and, after seeing Mendez-Laing have a low effort saved by Lynch, Rosenior made a double change by bringing on McGoldrick and Sibley in place of Barkhuizen and Dobbin.
Wildsmith made a reasonably comfortable stop from Ged Garner’s deflected effort from 18 yards just after the hour mark during what was a quiet afternoon for Derby’s number one. Down the other end, the Rams cranked up the pressure and thought they’d make the breakthrough with 67 minutes played as Sibley and Forsyth linked up well to cross for Knight at the far post, but the Academy graduate’s diving header was blocked by a combination of Lynch and home defenders.
Chances were few and far between in the second part of the second half and despite plenty of pressure, attacking towards the 1,100 Rams fans in the away end, Derby weren't able to make the breakthrough and the hosts survived a goalmouth scramble with McGoldrick having a low effort hacked off the line as the clock ticked down.
Fleetwood came close in the final minute of normal time to taking the points as substitute Cian Hayes forced a good save from Joe Wildsmith at his near post, while the four minutes of added time passed with no further action.
Dobbin, on his first league start for the Rams, was bright and lively throughout his hour on the pitch and his pace allowed Derby to advance in the attacking third with real purpose and intensity. He was unlucky not to score early on as Lynch kept out his powerful effort at his near post, while he linked up with Mendez-Laing on several occasions to link up the play.
Collins again led the line well up top, using his strength in his battle with Fleetwood’s centre-backs and his turn and shot towards the top corner towards the end of the first half showed his quality in the opposition’s penalty area.
Derby’s backline also defended well throughout as they limited Scott Brown’s outfit to limited efforts on goal and when the ball was thrown into the penalty area, they more often than not got there first to clear the danger.
Derby will take a brief break from the League One campaign when they host Championship outfit West Bromwich Albion at Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday evening (7:45pm kick-off) in Round Two of the Carabao Cup to kick off a run of four successive home fixtures in all competitions.
They will return to League One action when they face Peterborough United at Pride Park next Saturday (3pm kick-off).
Fleetwood Town: Lynch (GK), Andrew, Wiredu (Johnston 89), Vela (C), G Garner (J Garner 73), Omochere (Hayes 82), Nsiala, Batty, S Rooney, Macadam, Earl.
Substitute Not Used: Stolarczyk (GK), Baker, White, Glenfield.
Derby County: Wildsmith (GK), Forsyth, Hourihane, Cashin, Barkhuizen (Sibley 60), Bird (C), Collins, Mendez-Laing, Dobbin (McGoldrick 60), Stearman, Knight.
Substitutes Not Used: Loach (GK), J Rooney, Roberts, Smith, Thompson.
