Off-colour Brentford forced to settle for a point again as Wayne Rooney's Rams dig in

Brentford 0 Derby County 0

Brentford extended their unbeaten run to 10 games but dropped two more precious points, despite having the better of a contest that rarely hit the heights.

The Bees were far from their best – perhaps the emotion of playing in front of their own fans for the first time in the new stadium on Saturday had a draining effect.

They had enough chances to have claimed all three points against Wayne Rooney’s lowly Rams but their shooting was wayward, and the usual zip and pressing game was not quite there. Bryan Mbeumo missed the game’s best chance in the second half, firing over when it seemed easier to score.

The first-half was almost devoid of serious goalmouth action. A couple of blasts from outside the box by Vitaly Janelt – the second of which was considerably closer than the first – were as near as either side came until the final moments of a lacklustre 45 minutes.

Then, a pull-back from Sergi Canos found Emiliano Marcondes, whose first-time shot pinged just wide of the near post via the boot of a Derby defender.

And a few moments later, a long throw-in from Mads Bech Sorensen flicked off a head to reach Mbeumo at the far post, but he volleyed wide.

The second half had to be better and there was an early free-kick by Marcondes from an acute angle out on the left which had Scotland keeper David Marshall straining to reach up and palm away. Ivan Toney had the Derby defence fretting with a close-range back-heel.

The Bees really should have been in front on 58 minutes when a ball swung into the area from out on the right flank by Henrik Dalsgaard was nodded into empty space by Toney – Marshall completely misjudging the flight of the ball. Mbuemo had to score but blazed over, with the net gaping.

Derby finally woke up too, and Kamil Jozwiak came within a whisker of giving the Rams the lead with a firmly-struck left foot shot from inside the box which came back off an upright.

That close-call for the Bees came after a corner from half-time substitute Tom Lawrence, whose extra guile gave the visitors far more menace. The midfielder indeed almost profited when David Raya was stranded coming for a ball he could not collect, but his attempted chip drifted wide.

Boss Thomas Frank threw on Marcus Forss and Saman Ghoddos in search of a breakthrough, but the Bees lost much of their momentum in the final stages and had to settle for another draw.

Brentford: David Raya – Dalsgaard, Sorensen, Jansson, Henry – Dasilva, Janelt (Ghoddos 83), Marcondes (Jensen 74) - Mbuemo (Fosu 74), Toney, Canos (Forss 83). Subs not used: Daniels, Thompson, Pinnock, Pressley, Stevens