Luton halted their six-match losing run in Kevin Blackwell's first game in charge with a goalless draw against fellow strugglers Burnley but the Hatters remain adrift at the bottom of the Coca-Cola Championship.

The Clarets are teetering above the drop zone after extending their winless run to 19 matches.

Steve Cotterill's men have now managed just four goals in 15 league games and, with Luton not having won on their travels since September, there was a certain inevitability about the final scoreline at Turf Moor.

The hosts edged the opening period with Andy Gray, who has not scored since Burnley's last victory in November, having the two best chances.

Luton's ambition grew after the interval, with Dean Morgan going the closest but both sides had to settle for an uninspiring draw that does little for either camp.

Burnley edged the opening exchanges but with two teams in trouble at the wrong end of the table, it was no surprise that it was a scrappy affair.

Markus Heikkinen was at the centre of Luton's best work, although his diagonal ball which just had too much for Morgan was the closest either side came to creating a chance in a low-key first quarter of an hour.

The Clarets finally fashioned an opening in the 19th minute, with debutant Paul McVeigh putting Ade Akinbiyi into space before Steve Jones beat a man and then fired straight at a defender.

Seven minutes later, a quickly-taken free-kick saw a cross from Burnley's Wayne Thomas fly across the box only for another debutant Graham Coughlan to thump his shot against a defender.

Moments later, a curling McVeigh free-kick was met by the head of Gray causing Luton goalkeeper Dean Brill, who was brought into the side for Marlon Beresford, no problems.

Another Jones cross was tapped straight to Brill by Gray and Chris McCann also fired over from Steven Caldwell's knockdown.

McVeigh had two more efforts blocked just before the interval.

The pattern of Burnley pressure continued after the break but Matthew Spring finally forced an opening for Luton but his perseverance and cross were wasted as Morgan headed high and wide from six yards.

As Luton continued to build momentum, Morgan flashed an effort wide of the near post after breaking onto a Sol Davis throw and after breaking past Caldwell, Spring's strike lacked the power to worry Brian Jensen.

McVeigh's corner was headed wide at the near post by Gray and Wayne Thomas brought a routine low save from Brill.

And despite a spell of late pressure from the Clarets, the game ended in a poor stalemate that leaves both teams with plenty to do before the end of the season.

Teams:

Burnley Jensen, Thomas, Coughlan, Caldwell, Harley,McVeigh (Garreth O'Connor 88), Djemba-Djemba, McCann,Jones (James O'Connor 69), Gray, Akinbiyi (Lafferty 68).

Subs Not Used: Coyne, Duff.

Luton Brill, Barnett (Coyne 24), Carlisle, Heikkinen,Davis (Foley 70), Spring, Keane, Robinson, Bell, Talbot,Morgan (Andrew 70).

Subs Not Used: Beresford, Brkovic.

Att: 11,088

Ref: M Thorpe (Suffolk).