A combination of Clayton Ince's superb goalkeeping and Derby's wasteful finishing helped Crewe earn an unlikely point at Pride Park.

The Trinidadian made a string of impressive saves as the hosts failed to turn their dominance, both territorially and in terms of possession, into goals.

Derby manager George Burley's pleasure at seeing his side extend their unbeaten home run to five games was tempered by the knowledge that, given the chances they created, they should have registered the victory that would have taken them level on points with fourth-bottom Gillingham.

Although Leon Osman and substitute Candido Costa will testify to the agility of Ince, who was also called upon to keep out a goalbound clearance from team-mate Kenny Lunt, Derby were thankful for a stunning stop from goalkeeper Lee Grant to deny Dean Ashton midway through the second period.

It summed up Derby's plight in front of goal, though, when substitute Izale McLeod struck the Crewe crossbar two minutes from time.

The result leaves Crewe, themselves far from clear of relegation danger, without a win in six matches, and boss Dario Gradi must cast his mind back to early December for their most recent away success.

There was no shortage of action early on, Crewe's Steve Jones and Derby striker Marco Reich trading long-range strikes which were off target.

Ashton drilled a shot wide of Grant's right upright before Osman and Marcus Tudgay saw efforts cleared by Neil Sorvel and David Wright respectively.

Osman twice tried his luck from distance and had another attempt saved by Ince following Ian Taylor's cross before the game was 10 minutes old.

Ince made another vital contribution shortly after, diving full length to turn Costa's curler round the post, the Portugal midfielder having replaced the injured Reich on the quarter-hour mark.

Derby's almost complete dominance was interrupted only by Jones, whose cross-cum-shot clipped the crossbar, but it said much for Crewe's struggles that Grant was effectively a spectator for much of the half.

Ince, on the other hand, needed to be alert to prevent Lunt diverting the ball into his own net, and showed smart reflexes in keeping out Osman's powerful drive.

Given the events of the opening 45 minutes, it came as little surprise when Ince again denied Osman in first-half stoppage time.

Derby picked up where they left off after the interval, Costa unable to keep his shot down before Manuel Manel headed Richard Jackson's wastefully over.

Ashton's misdirected overhead kick was the culmination of a rare Crewe attack, but Ince was soon back in the action, Tudgay and Costa thwarted in the space of two minutes.

Though Crewe showed glimpses of their threat on the break - Ashton brought a fine fingertip save out of Grant, while Craig Hignett went close with a deft header - Derby continued to enjoy the majority of the play.

Noel Whelan and Paul Boertien became the latest Derby players to let fly after another effort from Tudgay, but McLeod's late strike was a fitting finale to a frustrating evening for the hosts.

Derby Grant, Jackson, Mawene, Johnson, Boertien, Osman, Taylor, Huddlestone, Reich (Costa 17), Manel (Whelan 60), Tudgay (McLeod 87).

Subs Not Used: Camp, Bolder.

Crewe Ince, Wright, Walker, Foster, Billy Jones, Hignett (Robinson 87), Sorvel, Lunt, Rix (Cochrane 67), Steve Jones, Ashton.

Subs Not Used: Tomlinson, Tonkin, Edwards.

Booked: Billy Jones.

Att: 19,861

Ref: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).