THERE were chances for both sides as Derby County and Rotherham United played out a goalless first half in their opening game of the new Championship campaign.
The Rams came flying out of the blocks at the iPro Stadium but did not have it all their own way against the newly-promoted Millers.
Inside the first 30 seconds, a slip from Joe Skarz allowed Johnny Russell to advance into the area but he was crowded out as he shaped to shoot.
In the second minute, Chris Martin glanced a near-post header across the face of goal from Craig Bryson's right-wing corner.
Jeff Hendrick's 20-yarder was deflected narrowly wide, with keeper Adam Collin wrong-footed, while Craig Forsyth's cross from the left just evaded the head of Russell in the middle.
Rotherham gradually settled into the game and Kieran Agard's shot on the turn had to be well blocked by debutant Cyrus Christie in the 18th minute.
Derby were having more defending to do and former Rams midfielder Paul Green drilled a low effort wide from 25 yards.
The home side went close in the 24th minute, when Martin and Bryson combined to find Simon Dawkins, whose curling shot from the edge of the box was deflected inches wide.
Two minutes later, Russell's header from a Christie cross was kept out by Collin, diving to his left.
Alex Revell could not keep his header down at the other end after being picked out by another former Ram, Ben Pringle.
But the visitors almost took the lead shortly after the half-hour mark.
Pringle's near-post corner was glanced past Lee Grant by the head of Kari Arnason but the ball was bundled off the line by Will Hughes.
