Fulham and Derby County both stay in the bottom three after they played out a goalless draw at Craven Cottage.

Paul Konchesky was sent off just before half time for elbowing Craig Fagan, but the Rams failed to capitalise on their one-man advantage.

Fulham dominated possession in the opening ten minutes, but failed to break into the Derby area.

The first real opportunity fell to Kenny Miller, after some good link up play on the edge of the Fulham box.

Craig Fagan stooped low to chest down a long ball to the Scotland international, who played a one-two with Pearson before firing from an angle inside the box. Fulham's Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi blocked well at the near post.

Derby grew into the game after that chance, and began to attack with more confidence. Their lack of cutting edge in the final third, however, led to them losing possession with players committed forward and left them vulnerable on the break.

Aaron Hughes almost headed into his own net after Derby broke forward and Pearson put in a cross. Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi got down in time to parry the ball and stop it rolling in right on the line.

Two minutes before half time Craig Fagan blasted the ball into Paul Konchesky's chest from almost point blank range. The ball came back to Konchesky and as Fagan tried to challenge him from behind, the Fulham left back lashed out with an elbow in full view of referee Phil Dowd. Dowd had no choice but to send Konchesky off, but he also booked Fagan for his part in the argument that ensued after the incident.

Derby laid siege on the Fulham goal in the second half, and had three opportunities to break the deadlock in the space of four minutes.

First Kenny Miller couldn't turn his body quickly enough to steer a cross in, and the ball rebounded off his hip. Then a minute later Matt Oakley ht a well struck shot from distance that forced Niemi into dive and palm it away, before the keeper pulled off a reaction save with his foot to stop a Giles Barnes header going in.

Fulham had their own chances, and at times did not look as though they were a man down. Clint Dempsey turned Dean Leacock expertly in midfield, before feeding the ball to Diomansy Kamara, who blasted over the bar.

Both sides introduced strikers late on in a bid to take all three points, but it was a man who started the match, Kenny Miller, who missed the best chance in injury time.

Substitute Steven Howard flicked on a long ball into the path of the Scotland striker. Miller was forced into shooting from a tight angle, but his effort beat Niemi and just crept wide of the far post.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport