Derby County and Cardiff City have cancelled each other out during the first half of their Championship clash, heading into the break at 0-0.

The hosts almost broke the deadlock with just five minutes on the clock when Tom Ince gave his marker the slip and got a shot away, forcing David Marshall into an early save.

Derby were asking all of the questions in the opening stages and came close again in the 16th minute when Marshall smothered Andreas Weimann's strike from the edge of the area.

It took Cardiff until the 20th minute to register a shot on goal, Kenwyne Jones's strike from distance sailing harmlessly over the crossbar.

The Rams were on top for much of the first period, but Cardiff almost pegged them back in the 25th minute when Jones lined up Craig Noone in front of goal and he tested Scott Carson between the Derby sticks.

Derby controlled the closing stages of the first period, but were unable to turn their dominance into a goal.