Blackburn 0-0 Derby: Reaction from Gary Bowyer and Paul Clement
Thursday 22 October 2015 07:58, UK
Gary Bowyer credited Blackburn's spirit as they held in-form Derby to a goalless Sky Bet Championship stalemate at Ewood Park.
The expensively-assembled Rams arrived in Lancashire on the back of a six-game unbeaten run and with hopes of moving into the division's top six with a win.
Yet they were kept quiet by a hard-working Rovers side who created the better opportunities on a night of limited chances.
Markus Olsson, Tom Lawrence and substitute John O'Sullivan all forced Scott Carson into saves, although he was never truly tested, while the hosts shut out a fourth successive opponent on their own patch ahead of neighbours Burnley's visit this weekend.
"That's four clean sheets on the trot at home which is a fabulous performance from our boys on that front," Bowyer said.
"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."
Craig Conway and Matt Kilgallon both missed out with injuries, joining a lengthy list that Bowyer hopes will ease in time for the visit of Sean Dyche's Clarets in three days' time.
"Derby probably had more out through not being picked than we've got injured," the Rovers boss added.
"Whoever puts the shirt on for us, you know what you're going to get from us, they've shown that tonight. Seven first-team players missing, it was a fabulous response from us."
Derby appeared to have found some form under Paul Clement after winning five of their previous six games following a shaky start initially under the ex-Real Madrid assistant.
This was a step backwards, though, with Clement even admitting their best chance came when Tom Ince almost controlled a wayward Jason Steele clearance late on.
"On reflection, I think it's a good point; I don't think either team really deserved to win the game," Clement said.
"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."
The Rams are unbeaten on their travels in the league this season and although a fourth away win on the spin eluded them, Clement was pleased with his defence's steely resolve after shipping two against Wolves on Sunday.
"We've picked up points in every game we've played away from home - that's a real positive," he added.
"We're showing different sides to our game but we want to win, we're disappointed we've not won the game but we'll take the point because we know it was a really hard-fought point."
