Everyone won because no-one won? Or no-one lost so everyone lost?

After all the hype, chest-beating and sleepless nights it was perhaps inevitable that the East Lancashire derby, Th’El Classico, would ultimately satisfy nobody.

In truth it was a mediocre game between a pair of mediocre mid-table teams in a mediocre Championship division.

Yes, both sets of fans had a moment to savour.

Rovers fans enjoyed the experience of going ahead, a tad undeservedly, by virtue of a classic goal from a hero striker scored smack-bang in front of the travelling hordes.

And three sides of the stadium enjoyed a tumultuous response to a face-saving equaliser in the dying minutes.

But the post-match pint discussions in Accy, Harwood, Rishton, Ossy and all the other points in Hyndburn where support between these two clubs divides would be strangely agreeable and devoid of any of those mythical ‘bragging rights’ which indolent scribes and commentators inevitably dredge up when such fixtures take place.

Rovers fans, who are beginning to acknowledge they are watching one of the most ordinary and unreliable sides of the 33-year period since last losing against Burnley, were mightily relieved to come away without surrendering the sequence.

After morale-sapping home defeats to Millwall and Bolton it felt like throwing the Christians to the lions going to the Turf and, after a first half which was nothing but a rearguard resistance operation, to lead and preserve the advantage until the dying seconds was a rare sweet 20 minutes in this accursed couple of years.

Ewood regulars would take comfort from the avoidance of defeat, the historical context and the slight victory Jordan Rhodes chalked up over fellow hot-shot Charlie Austin.

But perhaps the most apposite comments this week came from the scorer of the last Burnley winner over Rovers at Turf Moor, Paul Fletcher.

The former Burnley chief exec argued that he thinks Burnley have an even chance of returning to the Premiership before Rovers.

If Rovers fans disagree with his point – that Fletcher’s club currently have a better infrastructure, more reliable ownership and a better management and operational structure – well enough of us have been jamming switchboards and message boards to lambast our own set-up since the Venkys, absent on Sunday of course, took the reins.

After 24 months of lunacy, disposing of Sam Allardyce, hiring Steve Kean, allowing proven, experienced performers and administrators  to drift away, engaging a TV talking head to run the playing side, signing a load of dross, conducting a comical manager search before curiously hiring Henning Berg, Rovers supporters might well retort: “Well that might be the case, Fletch, but all that and still you don’t beat us?”

Of course, we have it all to do again in March and Rovers fans are fondly imagining that Henning will act in the transfer-window and in January, rid us of some rubbish, sign a few hungry stars eager to pilot us upwards, re-shape the squad and lead a charge to glory.

But in all honesty what have we seen in recent weeks to suggest that either of these sides have what it takes to mount a serious tilt at promotion and Premier League status?

I’ve said repeatedly one of any manager’s first tasks is to offload deadwood and free wages and fees up. Henning will have his work cut out with the amount we’ve accumulated.

Our best hope of avoiding each other next season might be if one or the other goes down!

That’s not looking a possibility for either at this stage but if Rovers fail to get anything from tonight’s extremely difficult fixture at home to Cardiff, alarm bells will be ringing.

Three wins in 12 games since Kean’s departure isn’t far off bottom-three form and scouring the fixture list for banker wins has become a difficult art as myriad new managers in the division breathe life into their teams.

We’re 20 games into this season now and constantly envisioning a brighter future when this and that happens or after such-and-such has occured is wearing thin.

Henning and Rovers need to get this show on the road right here and now.