Clarets captain Gordon Armstrong was delighted with another clean sheet as miserly Burnley recorded a derby-day shut-out to stay joint top of the Second Division.

Neither side looked likely to conceded a goal as Burnley and Preston played out their first goalless draw for over a century. But as the away team the Clarets will have derived greater satisfaction from the result, which Armstrong felt was a further indication of the strides now being made at Turf Moor.

"It wasn't the greatest of games but we defended really well and saw it out. It's a good point and a point we probably wouldn't have got last season.

"No-one's saying we played really well but we are looking solid," said the skipper, who played a full part from his position as sweeper.

He added: "I think we've given away two goals from open play all season in the league so that shows you the progress we're making. We don't look like conceding and with the forwards we've got, there's always a chance of getting a goal, so it's going well."

North End also boast a useful strikeforce but they were given short shrift by the Clarets' rearguard once Steve Basham had spurned an early chance.

"Kurt Nogan gets a lot of goals and young Basham is a good signing for them so we're pleased about that.

"I don't think Paul Crichton had a save to make. It all adds up. If you keep winning your home games and getting a point here and there away from home, maybe winning the odd one, then you've got a great chance of going up," Armstrong added.

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