LOWLY Yeovil picked up their first point in five games against a Colchester United side who never really got going.

Match report: npower League One-

Colchester United 0 Yeovil Town 0

LOWLY Yeovil picked up their first point in five games against a Colchester United side who never really got going.

Indeed, it could have been even worse for the Essex side who were fortunate not to lose the match deep into stoppage-time as keeper Ben Williams made a super save from sub Adam Phillip and ex-U’s loanee Sam Williams spurned the rebound.

Colchester had one real chance of their own in the match as Kayode Odejayi’s deft touch was tipped onto the bar by the keeper in the 69th minute.

A poor spectacle of a game was otherwise devoid of genuine goalscoring chances though and a goalless draw was the most appropriate result.

U’s boss John Ward made one change to the side which beat non-league side Swindon Supermarine 1-0 two weeks’ previous. Nine-goal striker David Mooney dropped to the bench after suffering from a virus during the week and he was replaced by Anthony Wordsworth.

That meant Ian Henderson returned to his supporting striker role in a continuation of the 4-4-1-1 formation.

Meanwhile, Yeovil – who came into this game off the back of four straight league defeats – switched to a more defence-minded 4-5-1 formation as midfielder Luke Ayling replaced one-time U’s loanee striker Sam Williams in the line-up.

Following a flat start, Colchester created the first chance of the match after 15 minutes when defender Paul Huntingdon did well to clear an excellent cross from Ashley Vincent. Moments later the same centre-back somehow escaped a booking when he halted Ian Henderson just as he looked set to burst through the last line of defence.

Huntingdon injued his ribs in the process of that foul though and was quickly replaced by Tom Parkes.

With defences on top, the first shot on target of the match didn’t arrive until the 25th minute when Virgo’s low drive was comfortably collected by keeper Ben Williams. At the other end Kayode Odejayi headed a Wordsworth corner over the bar.

The U’s had a minor scare in the 35th minute when defender Pat Baldwin left an innocuous ball for Ben Williams, the keeper’s delay in scooping up the ball almost allowing Andy Williams to nip in.

Three minutes later visiting striker Dean Bowditch was allowed an easy path into the box, his weak shot was cleared by an alert Tom Williams.

And as the match entered first half stoppage-time, the Somerset visitors almost broke the deadlock in spectactular fashion as left-back Nathan Smith carried the ball out of defence before sending a dipping 30-yard shot just past the post.

Colchester made a concerted effort to get the ball down and play at the start of the second half, with a string of passes greeted with sarcastic cheers from a home crowd that had voiced their displeasure at the disjointed first period they’d just witnessed.

If anything though, that brief spell of passing aside, the match plunged to new lows as a sepctacle with the ball continually out of play.

Frustrations peaked in the 68th minute when the U’s wasted a three-on-three attacking scenario as Odejayi failed to find the on-running Henderson.

The powerful Nigerian was desperately unforunate not to attone for his error moments later though when keeper John Sullivan did superbly to tip his deft outside-of-the-boot volley onto the bar following substitute David Mooney’s flick on.

Colchester introduced Liam Henderson and Lloyd James in an attempt to find a winner late on, but it was Yeovil who looked the more likely of achieving that feat.

In fact, kit could have been a whole lot worse had Yeovil spurned a glorious chance to win it deep into stoppage time when – in the last attack of the match – sub Adam Phillp charged in on goal only to see his shot well-saved by the legs of keeper Ben Williams before ex-U’s loanee Sam Williams put the rebound into the side-netting.

COLCHESTER UTD (4-4-1-1): B Williams; Wilson, T Williams, Reid, Baldwin; Vincent (Mooney 65), Izzet (James 85), Perkins; Wordsworth; I Henderson; Odejayi (L. Henderson 78).

Unused Subs: Cousins, Heath, Coker, Beevers.

Booked: Wordsworth (71), Wilson (90+).

YEOVIL TOWN (4-5-1): Sullivan; Alcock, Smith, Huntingdon (Parkes 18), Virgo; MacDonald; Sproule (S Williams 75), A Williams, Ayling, Kalala; Bowditch (Phillip 51).

Unused Subs: Roberts, Welsh, Upson, Calver.

Booked: Bowditch (41), Sproule (46), Smith (74).

U’s Man-of-the-Match: Paul Reid

Attendance: 3,748

Referee: Mr Steve Rushton