Wimbledon and Derby laboured to a dour goalless draw at Selhurst Park and did little for their respective goals of Premiership survival and a European place.

Both goalkeepers did well to turn long-range efforts round the posts on a number of occasions but were rarely called upon to stretch themselves on a frustrating day for the fans.

For Wimbledon, in 14th place and just two points above the relegation zone, at least it was another point to add to their meagre recent collection of just five in their previous seven games.

Yet despite fielding new signing Carl Leaburn, a £300,000 buy from Charlton, in place of Carl Cort, they again failed to find the net and have now scored just 21 times in 22 league games.

And although Derby have now lost only once in their past nine games, this was only their ninth away point this season and their supporters gave the side a rousing reception at the end.

However, they rarely looked likely to score without the injured Dean Sturridge and the suspended trio of Stefano Eranio, Darryl Powell and Lee Carsley, while Italian striker Francesco Baiano was man-marked throughout the game by Vinnie Jones.

In a cagey first half, Dons' keeper Neil Sullivan had to dive full length to his right twice to tip the ball round the post first from Baiano and then from Jonathan Hunt.

Meanwhile Derby defender Gary Rowett, unmarked at a corner, miscued an effort well wide.

At the other end Wimbledon midfielder Neal Ardley came closest to scoring with a powerful shot from 20 yards which had Derby keeper Mart Poom beaten but went just inches wide.

The Estonian international keeper also had to dive to gather another well struck long range effort from Michael Hughes just before the break.

However, the game was still crying out for a stroke of imagination or flair to break the deadlock and the second period was only marginally more exciting than the first.

Baiano did well shortly after the break to escape two markers but his ensuing shot merely added to the growing collection of misses.

Just when Kenny Cunningham was lining up a shot for Wimbledon on 52 minutes, having finally found some space, Paulo Wanchope did well to cover back to tackle him.

Poom changed direction swiftly to save a deflected effort from Hughes midway through the second half and he was relieved on 73 minutes when Leaburn suddenly found himself in the clear with Derby's defenders appealing for offside but could only swing wildly at the ball which looped high and wide.

Centre forward Cort was thrown on by Wimbledon boss Joe Kinnear with 14 minutes left and looked on course to score in the 85th minute when he pounced on a loose ball six yards out.

But Ron Willems slid in to take the ball off his foot.

Teams

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Kimble, Jones, Blackwell, Earle, Gayle (Cort 77), Perry, M. Hughes, Ardley, Leaburn.

Subs Not Used: C. Hughes, Solbakken, Heald, Clarke.

Booked: Blackwell.

Derby: Poom, Rowett, Powell, Yates, Stimac, Wanchope, Willems, Laursen, Burton, Hunt, Baiano.

Subs Not Used: Hoult, Wilkinson, Elliott, Kozluk, Smith.

Booked: Hunt, Stimac, Yates.

Att: 13,031

Ref: P Jones (Loughborough).