City had much the better of the exchanges against Derby County at the Walkers Stadium this afternoon but the visitors went away happy with a point from the scoreless draw.

The home side pressed right to the end and the Rams were a very relieved outfit at the final whistle.

City made two changes from the draw against Coventry at the Ricoh Arena last time out, Steve Howard in for Yann Kermorgant up front and Richie Wellens in midfield for Paul Gallagher.

The home side soon made an impact as, inside the first minute, Howard found Matty Fryatt who passed to Matt Oakley for a cross headed just over by Howard inside the first minute. The Rams replied with a shot from Kris Commons which was no trouble for Chris Weale before play switched quickly to the other end where an Oakley almost got in but the keeper won the race for the through ball.

Fryatt carved out the best early chance when, cutting in from the right, his shot was on target but well saved by Stephen Bywater then the striker later turned a Lloyd Dyer cross inches off-target before City came so close.

A Bruno Berner throw in was flicked on by Oakley to Wellens whose powerful shot hit the side netting while the Rams' only reply at this stage was a Robbie Savage free-kick easily dealt with. City then did better with their own free-kick move moments later, Oakley setting up Andy King for a shot which did not miss by much.

After the scoreless first period, the visitors restarted positively and a long throw from Dean Moxey had to be scrambled clear and the pressure was only eased by a foul against Derby.

But the first-half pattern was soon restored. Good work by Dyer ended with him finding Fryatt in the middle but the striker was crowded out. Within moments, a cross from the right found its way through to Dyer in the middle and his shot was deflected for a corner which was eventually cleared.

It was all City at this stage but they had a scare when Kris Commons cut in from the right for a dipping shot, hich skimmed the top of the bar and soon after that the visitors made loud claims for a penalty when Rob Hulse was sent tumbling in the box but the referee was having none of it.

Another great run by Dyer ended with the winger shooting just wide before City made their first change, Martyn Waghorn on for Fryatt, the momentum still with the home side and shots from Oakley and Howard were both blocked to safety.

Again City had a scare when Commons threatened to go clear and it took a great tackle by Jack Hobbs to prevent a scoring chance and going into stoppage time it was very much all hands to the pump for the visitors although, as fate would have it, ex-City favourite Savage fired in an added time free-kick when ended up in Weale's grasp after two rebounds.

City: Weale; Morrison, Hobbs, Brown, Berner, Oakley, A King, Wellens, Dyer, Howard, Fryatt. Subs: Logan, McGivern, Adams, Waghorn (66 for Fryatt), Kermorgant (78 for Dyer), Campbell, Gallagher.

Booked: Howard, Morrison.

Derby: Bywater; Stoor, Barker, Leacock, Moxey, Croft, Savage, Livermore, Teale, Commons, Hulse. Subs: Connolly (75 for Stoor), McEveley (85 for Hendrie), Deeney, Buxton, Hendrie (58 for Croft), Mills.

Referee: M Dean.

Attendance: 28,875.