How do I stop Excel counting blanks as zeros?

[Fast Eddie]

Great site this, the knowledge people have is phenomenal. I've already searched for this question or something similar but couldn't find a solution. I have a sheet to analyze football(soccer) scores. But when I count the zero scores (no goals scored) across a range blank cells in the range are counted as zero, which I don't want. Is there any command I could put with the formula to tell it not to count blank cells as zero or just not to count blank cells at all? The sort of formula I use is {=COUNT(IF(H103:H559=0,(IF(I103:I559=0,1))))}

 

[Fast Eddie]

Cheers, I'll try those later after my lunch meeting bye
Ed

 

[Fast Eddie]

It will work ..........

=SUMPRODUCT(--(H103:H559=0)*(H103:H559<>""),--(I103:I559=0)*--(I103:I559<>""))

cheers my main man, worked a treat, I don't know how exactly which is what I'd really like to learn, my sumproduct use is pretty basic and I don't really understand what I'm doing with any degree of certainty. I shall try Fairwinds solution next to see how that one goes and then I'll have meself two to choose from. moocho grassyarse me amigos!
Ed