Burnley lost ground on the Championship’s top two after being held to a goalless draw at Portsmouth.
The Clarets maintained their remarkable defensive record, making it 770 minutes without conceding a league goal, the longest run in their history, but were unable to break down their struggling hosts.
Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford kept his 20th clean sheet of the season, but victories for leaders Leeds and second-placed Sheffield United left the visitors three points off the automatic promotion places.
Burnley’s defensive strength is the envy of the league, but at the other end of the pitch they created few clear chances.
Their first opening saw Zian Flemming fire a free-kick straight at Nicolas Schmid.
The Portsmouth goalkeeper was made to work harder in the 20th minute when he stuck a foot out to block Lyle Foster’s header after an enterprising run by Jaidon Anthony.
Anthony tried a shot of his own a minute later, but Schmid tapped the rasping effort over the crossbar.
Portsmouth, who lost their seven-match unbeaten home record against Millwall on Tuesday, were far from timid going forward but a lack of quality proved their downfall.
Zak Swanson clipped an effort just over the bar from range before the right-back’s back-post header almost snuck in before Trafford’s intervention.
The hosts’ best chances of the first half saw Josh Murphy flash a shot across goal and Freddie Potts release Matt Ritchie, only for the winger to stumble when shooting.
The 41st minute brought up a new club record for Burnley, making it 680 minutes since they had conceded a league goal.
Connor Ogilvie flicked a header just wide for Portsmouth, while two tempting Murphy crosses were bundled behind as the stalemate continued.
Conor Shaughnessy, on his first start after injury, powered in a header from a Ritchie cross, but again Trafford held on.
A rare second-half attack from the Clarets saw Josh Cullen’s drive put behind before a spot of penalty area pin-ball ended with Lucas Pires’ shot saved on the line by Andre Dozzell, with shouts of handball waved away by referee David Webb.
That spurred on Burnley and Foster was unlucky his strike soon after deflected towards Schmid.
