Cedric Roussel went agonisingly close to ending Coventry's wretched away
record less than a week after completing a £1.2million move to Highfield Road.
Belgian striker Roussel, previously on loan from Ghent, hit the post on 73
minutes after Lars Bohinen's clearance had been charged down.
Had he scored, it would have given Coventry their first away win in the
Premiership since April 3, 1999.
But that run is now 13 matches long, though they have drawn seven of their 10
fixtures on the road this season.
Deon Burton also struck the woodwork, his 24th-minute drive cannoning back off
the bar following good work by Branko Strupar.
Burton also fired well wide from 12 yards after being released by Georgi
Kinkladze and it was no surprise when Malcolm Christie - who scored twice on his
full debut at Middlesbrough last Saturday - replaced him.
But he could not break the deadlock and Derby, together with Watford, now have
the joint worst home record in the top flight, having won three and lost eight
of their 12 fixtures at Pride Park.
Their unbeaten start to the new millennium is still intact but after
morale-boosting victories over the Hornets and Middlesbrough, they were reminded
today that they still have a lot of work to do to stay up as they slipped back
to 17th in the Premiership.
Given the two sides' woeful records, and with the visitors minus Moustapha
Hadji and Youssef Chippo - both of whom are on African Nations Cup duty with
Morocco - the chances of an entertaining game were remote.
Sadly for the 28,381 spectators who had braved the freezing conditions to come
to Pride Park, those pre-match fears were proved to be correct in what was a
dire encounter.
The game was there for the taking had either side shown even a little
imagination and ability in the final third.
But Gary McAllister, while efficient, could not unlock the Derby defence, and
Lars Bohinen and Kinkladze - a half-time substitute - also failed to have a
meaningful impact.
At least Kinkladze gave the Rams attack an element of unpredictability but
despite his flicks and dribbles, Coventry held firm.
Like so many games in the Premiership these days, both teams worked hard - and
there were no bookings when several might have been merited - but there was a
distinct lack of skill on show.
Strupar could not match his feats of January 3, when he scored twice against
Watford, but he had to cope with poor service.
The Belgian international had just one chance - when he headed wide from eight
yards out after Stefan Schnoor's free-kick had found him in space.
For Coventry, Robbie Keane - linked with a £10million move to Inter Milan on
Wednesday - was very quiet as Roussel overshadowed him.
Noel Whelan and Steve Froggatt opened up the Derby defence on several
occasions but too often the hosts, for whom Horacio Carbonari was particularly
impressive, cut out the final ball before it got to a Sky Blue player.
Both keepers, Mart Poom and Hedman, had an easy time as the match degenerated
into a midfield scrap.
Kinkladze and McAllister both went close with free-kicks in the dying stages,
while Whelan headed wide as time ticked away.
But neither team deserved all three points and it was a relief to all
concerned when referee Graham Barber blew the final whistle.
Teams
Derby: Poom, Laursen, Carbonari, Elliott (Kinkladze 46), Delap,
Burley, Johnson, Bohinen, Schnoor, Strupar,Burton (Christie 81).
Subs Not Used: Nimni, Boertien, Oakes.
Coventry: Hedman, Telfer, Williams, Breen, Froggatt,
Strachan (Quinn 77), Eustace (Gustafsson 81), McAllister,Whelan, Roussel, Keane.
Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Shaw, Normann.
Att: 28,381.
Ref: G Barber (Tring, Herts).
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