Derby County moved a step closer to Championship survival with a well-earned 0-0 draw at Championship Champions-elect Queens Park Rangers on Monday night.

Wayne Routledge dragged a shot wide early on for the home side before Brad Jones kept out a long-distance strike from Adel Taarabt.

But Derby had the better of the chances after surviving the early bout of pressure from the home side.

Stephen Pearson had the Rams' best chance after the hour, but home goalkeeper Paddy Kenny denied him at point-blank range.

Six days on from their last Championship fixture against Leeds United, Derby went into the game fresh after the extra two days to prepare for the game owing to Sky Sports' decision to air the game live.

Nigel Clough chose to make one change to his side from the 2-1 win over Leeds, with striker Theo Robinson in for Ben Davies as Derby opted for an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation.

Robinson, on the bench for the Rams' last five games, partnered Steven Davies and Jamie Ward in attack.

Conor Doyle returned from USA under-20 action on the bench, but Tomasz Cywka's knee injury again kept the young Polish attacker out of action.

Rangers, who are on the brink of promotion back to the Premier League, were unchanged from their 1-0 victory at Barnsley last week which meant ex-Ram Rob Hulse had to be content with a place on the bench.

Derby's plan was to take the game to Rangers with their positive formation and two forceful bursts forwards from right-back by John Brayford early on showed their intent.

The first chance did however fall to the home side on five minutes, but Helguson stretched to poke the ball wide at the far post from a corner.

Derby played some neat, attractive and imaginative football throughout the half, but early on the chances kept going QPR's way.

On 11 minutes Routledge volleyed wide from around three yards out after good play by Alejandro Faurlin as the home side built up some momentum.

Then only a fine save minutes later by Jones denied the Championship's top player Taarabt a long-distance goal on 18 minutes.

Derby defended well as Rangers mounted a heavy spell of pressure, and managed to express themselves going forwards more in the final 15 minutes of the half.

James Bailey and Stephen Pearson both volleyed over and Ward had a thunderous effort from the edge of the box well blocked.

A great passage of passing football from back to front eventually led to a chance for Robinson on 32 minutes, but again a home defender was in the way to block the ball.

Bailey fizzed another shot wide from distance five minutes before the break, and Derby's confidence was visibly high and they continued to, in spells, out-pass Rangers.

Another excellent move saw Pearson play Robinson clear on goal in the final minute of the half, but he wastefully lashed over.

Rangers were out of the traps quickly in the second period but Derby frustrated them again with some solid defending.

Derby had, arguably, the best chance of the game just after the hour to take the lead.

Ward used a combination of skill and pace to skip past Bradley Orr down the left and pull the ball back to Pearson 12 yards out, but his left-foot drive was superbly turned over the bar by Paddy Kenny at point-blank range.

Kenny was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Season last night, and he showed exactly why his performances have been recognised by his peers with that stop.

QPR's frustration continued as Derby showed their resilient side, and they threw frontmen Patrick Agyemang and Ishmael Miller off the bench in place of Taarabt and Routledge to find the goal they craved.

But Derby didn't give them a sniff in front of goal and Hulse replaced Hulguson for the final five minutes in the hope he might go one over his former club.

It wasn't to be for Hulse and QPR, as Derby spoiled the party and were well worth the point.

Now they are unbeaten in the last three games, and safety is within touching distance.

Queens Park Rangers: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry, Taarabt (Agyemang 71), Helguson (Hulse 85), Faurlin, Gorkss, Routledge (Miller 83), Connolly, Smith.

Subs: Cerny, Buzsaky, Ephraim, Shittu.

Derby County: Jones, Brayford, Roberts, Ayala, Barker, Savage, Bailey, Pearson (Anderson 89), Robinson, Ward, S Davies (Leacock 90).

Subs: Atkins, B Davies, Porter, Bueno, Doyle

Booked: Savage, Pearson, Ayala, Brayford

Referee: Mr D Deadman

Attendance: 16,745 (537 away fans)