Blackburn and Derby deadlocked

Bent could not find a way past Carbonari

Blackburn 0-0 Derby

A dour encounter at Ewood Park ended in stalemate and on today's performance it could be some time yet before the tie is decided.

Few goal-scoring opportunities were created and despite the endeavours of Blackburn's Damien Duff who showed moments of flair, the match provided little entertainment.

Blackburn may feel that they should have secured their place in the next round after Derby spent most of the match defending in their own half.

I was just about to blast Christie and Delap for their performances when the staff told me, because the players had kept it from me, that they had been up all night

  Derby County boss Jim Smith

Rovers were also denied a penalty in the second period for a challenge by Bjorn Bragstad on Alan Mahon.

And a lack of guile and poor finishing from Matt Jansen gives Derby a chance to regroup and hopefully show some attacking ambition, which was non-existent today, in the replay.

The home side started brightly and Duff 's industry down the left flank was causing Derby problems and it was his cross that presented Jansen with the best chance of a poor first half.

Disappointing

But Jansen's bizarre decision to nod the ball back across the box rather than go for goal ensured the game remained scoreless.

Derby, who were feeling the effects of their injury crisis, were content to contain the home side and rarely threatened.

I thought we did well and we bossed the game from start to the finishm and I'm just disappointed we didn't take one of the chances we created

  Blackburn Rovers manager Graeme Souness

Malcolm Christie dragged a shot disappointingly wide and Horacio Carbonari fired a free-kick straight at keeper Brad Friedel.

And Derby boss Jim Smith must have been curing his luck when Stefano Eranio limped off after 26 minutes, joining an ever increasing queue for the treatment table.

Soon after the restart Duff went close when he struck a sweet left-footed volley just wide of the upright.

And he continued to trouble Derby's injury ravaged defence, peppering the penalty area with crosses.

Unhappy fans

Blackburn were enjoying the greater share of possession and territorial advantage, but they were lacking potency in attack.

Graeme Souness made a double substitution early in the second half as Gary Flitcroft and Jason McAteer were replaced by Marc Keller and Craig Hignett.

But the pattern of the game continued, with Derby seemingly unwilling to vacate their own half and Blackburn unable to create any chances against the Premiership defence.

And although Mart Poom made a couple of good saves from long-range Blackburn efforts, it was always looking as though the tie would end in a draw.

The final whistle was greeted with boos from the supporters, and Derby fans in particular will pray their side's attack turns up in the replay.

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Blackburn: Friedel, Curtis, McAteer, Short, Taylor, Mahon, Duff, Dunn, Flitcroft, Bent, Jansen. Subs: Hignett, Blake, Broomes, Keller, Filan.

Derby: Poom, Mawene, Carbonari, Bragstad, Martin, Higginbotham, Eranio, O'Neil, Murray, Christie, Delap. Subs: Boertien, Valakari, Bolder, Hunt, Oakes.

Referee: R Pearson (Peterlee)