NO team have scored against Derby County in four and a half games and not even the testing weather conditions in East Lancashire could find a chink in the Rams' impressive defensive shield.

A bitterly cold, swirling wind whipped around Turf Moor accompanied by driving rain. Add an in-form Burnley side to the mix and this was a tough examination.

But determined Derby are brimming with resilience.

They are staring challenges in the face and not flinching.

Recent League meetings with Leeds United, West Ham United, Hull City and Coventry City all provided a different test of sorts and all were won.

Derby and Burnley have both recorded five clean sheets in their last six games. Derby have shut out the opposition in their last four.

A goalless draw, then, was probably the likely outcome, given such meanness.

Derby went into the game buoyed by five consecutive victories and were unchanged for a fourth game, a key factor in their run of good results since the defeat at Ipswich five weeks ago.

Familiarity breeds understanding.

Key partnerships, notably at centre-back, can only blossom if the personnel remains constant. Shaun Barker and Jason Shackell have started the last 11 games, of which Derby have won six and drawn two.

Barker impressed again and Shackell was in the thick of the action from the off when he made an excellent block to deny Charlie Austin in the opening minute.

Burnley's confident start was not a surprise, given a run of seven wins in nine League games and the fact the Clarets have had more goal attempts than any other club in the Championship.

Austin's double sank Derby at Pride Park in August. He was in for the injured Martin Paterson and was supported in attack by Jay Rodriguez, a player picked out by the Rams manager before the game as "top quality".

Rodriguez and Dean Marney both went close with shots from distance and Keith Treacy headed over after a centre from Rodriguez evaded Barker.

The rain turned to hail at one stage and the strong wind blew the ball as goalkeepers tried to take goal kicks and players waited to deliver corners.

It made for a scrappy first half of few clear-cut chances.

Derby's best moments came when Paul Green headed over from a corner and Theo Robinson's low strike from 25 yards was parried by former Rams keeper Lee Grant.

To their credit, Derby got the ball down and passed it well in the second half.

They displayed composure in possession and would have given Grant more to think about had the decision-making been better in the final third.

They worked one or two promising positions, once when Jamie Ward tied Kieran Trippier in knots and wriggled his way to the bye-line.

Ward has scored from such tight angles before, memorably against Nottingham Forest, but on this occasion he fired into the side netting when he should have tried to pick out a team-mate.

Craig Bryson, full of running once again, saw a firm drive blocked following a neat move with substitute Jeff Hendrick, on for James Bailey, who had felt unwell in the first half.

When Ward delivered the resulting corner, Barker escaped his marker. We waited for the net to bulge but the ball skimmed off the skipper's head and wide. It was Derby's best chance of the afternoon.

But they rode their luck once or twice, as an away side must do at times.

Goalkeeper Frank Fielding did well to push away Austin's header and then watched as Treacy's centre from wide on the left sailed over his head and smacked against the inside of the far post.

The ball bounced out and struck Shackell who hacked it behind for a corner from which Michael Duff powered a header just over.

Home supporters howled at referee Lee Probert when he booked Marney for a challenge on Gareth Roberts but those same fans had conveniently forgotten the poor challenge made by Austin on Roberts in the first half that brought the Burnley player only a ticking off when it deserved a yellow card at the very least.

Austin dragged a low shot narrowly wide before Fielding made the save of the game.

Marvin Bartley, who had just come on for Treacy, got to the bye-line and pulled the ball back for Rodriguez, whose low strike was destined for the net until Fielding produced a remarkable stop with his legs.

Fielding pulled off a wonderful save at 0-0 in the previous game against Coventry and he is on top of his game right now.

Derby introduced Ryan Noble for the injured Robinson and the striker, on loan from Sunderland, showed glimpses of his sharp movement and a willingness to work and run the channels.

He headed a difficult chance wide and was inches away from reaching a Green centre late on.

Jake Buxton came on in his role as protector of a point or three.

His cameo this time started in the 84th minute and as in his previous four appearances as a substitute, he stood guard in front of the back four and did exactly what was asked of him. He won headers and tackles and passed the ball nicely and simply.

He epitomised another solid team performance.

Derby have improved when it comes to seeing out games.

A maturity has replaced the naivety and uncertainty seen in such situations in past seasons.

Their search for a winning goal saw them force a couple of corners in the four minutes of stoppage time and there was a nervy moment when Austin met Rodriguez's centre and prodded the ball wide under pressure to bring a final groan from the home fans.

Derby were more pleased with the point than Burnley, understandably, although draws remain something of a rarity.

They have managed five this season and this was their first goalless game in 33 matches in all competitions stretching back to April last year.