Derby 0 Sheffield Wednesday 0: No headline statement from Owls but a solid point at a tough place

They were winless in their previous 13 visitors to the East Midlands city and boasted just one win to their name here since 1958.

That streak continued, although, all things considering, it was not the worst point in the world on a day when Darren Moore’s side were below-par.

Their unspectacular run of results against the division’s top eight continued. They could not impose themselves on a Derby side who looked the more likely, certainly in the second half.

The build-up gave this fixture between two League One heavyweights and famous names the big sell, but as is often the case, the big event was pretty underwhelming.

Comfortably the highlight of a first half as drab as a dank December day was a sing-off between Wednesday supporters and their Derby counterparts.

Rams followers started it with a chorus of ‘We sent you down’ - harkening back to those chaotic events on the final day of the 2020-21 season in the East Midlands

The riposte from South Yorkshire was immediate. ‘You’re staying down, we’re going up’ was sung heartily just past the half-hour mark by Wednesday’s 2,600 travelling contingent.

That brief burst of animation stirred things into life momentarily. It proved a tease and was all too brief.

It was a half in which passing was loose and quality low. Derby got into one or two tasty positions down Wednesday’s left, but their final ball and execution was poor.

At the other end, the visitors were just as sloppy.

One half-chance saw Michael Smith - hero of the previous weekend - direct a header towards ex-Owls keeper Joe Wildsmith which was comfortably saved following Marvin Johnson’s outswinging cross on the left.

Louie Subley flickered on occasions for Derby and the canny movement of ex-Sheffield United favourite David McGoldrick had to be watched.

He had an opportunity when Derby countered late in the first period, with his piledriver kept out, not too tidily by David Stockdale.

It was an untidy half, although the fact that both defences kept risks to a minimum was one tick in the box for messrs Moore and Warne at least..

Wednesday badly missed the wit of Josh Windass in particular on a day when Alex Mighten, given stick for his Nottingham Forest affiliations by home patrons, was handed the stage.

On the restart, more of the intent and pressure came from Derby, but little by way of chances.

One did come when David Stockdale coughed up a deep free-kick from Conor Hourihane, but as the loose ball bounced around, no-one was there to take advantage.

Soon after, Lewis Dobbin nodded wide at the back stick, with the impression growing that if any side was going to break the deadlock, it was Derby.

In a bid to change the narrative, Malik Wilks and Callum Paterson were called for.

After creating next to nothing, Wednesday finally had a moment and it almost conjured a breakthrough with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru wriggling clear and seeing his low shot blocked by Wildsmith on 64 minutes.

Despite a raft of changes, the game petered out.