Colchester United

There were chances for both sides in the first half but it was the U’s who had the best couple.

Macauley Bonne and Dexter Peter both failed to hit the target with free headers from left wing corners.

In the second half, the U’s hit the crossbar on two occasions as Owen Garvan and George Brown’s efforts just missing their intended target.

It was the U’s who started the game on the front foot, with dangerous crosses from Dion Sembie-Ferris and Kane Vincent-Young both evading onrushing forwards within the first ninety seconds of the match.

From their first corner, the U’s frontman Bonne got to the ball first but couldn’t get over it enough to prevent it going over.

On eight minutes, the Blades had their first effort, with Brooks sliding his shot just wide as he stretched for a pull back from Calvert-Lewin.

Owen Garvan, who was looking to pull the strings in the midfield whenever he could, twisted and turned to set up Vincent-Young, but the fullback shot wide after cutting inside.

That came on nine minutes, and the favour was returned less than sixty seconds later, with Garvan shooting over from the edge.

Diaz Wright was next to try his luck, and he was denied by a good diving save from the visiting keeper Ramsdale.

Bonne’s next effort was one he will feel he could have done better with, as he rose perfectly to meet another corner only to see it go inches past the post with the keeper beaten.

Alex Wynter had to be alert to block the danger when Calvert-Lewin got the better of Peter and shaped to come inside.

That was a rare Blades’ attack in the first half and the play was quickly down the other end.

Sembie-Ferris stabbed his shot wide on thirty six minutes, before he was denied by a near post save as Bonne set him up on the angle.

That save resulted in a corner, from which Peter should also have done better with a free header that missed the target.

It was a slower start to the second period, with the only foray into the opposition box in the opening five minutes ending with Sembie-Ferris drilling a ball across the six yard box that just evading any onrushing U’s forwards.

Chances at both ends within seconds came on fifty two minutes, with a free kick sailing over James Bransgrove’s bar before Garvan clipped the bar at the other end with a left foot shot.

The U’s experienced midfielder had cut inside onto his left foot and should maybe have given the U’s the lead but was inches too high.

On the hour, Charley Edge was replaced by George Brown and he was straight into the action as he too clipped the visitors’ crossbar.

The ball dropped to him fifteen yards out and he beat the keeper with his volley, only to see it flick off the top of the bar on its way over.

Garvan and Bonne both put efforts wide as the U’s continued to look the most likely to get a winner, with the former drilling his shot past the post before Bonne repeated the feat with another header.

With eleven minutes remaining, Wayne Brown introduced Decarrey Sherriff to the U’s attack, with Tariq Issa making way.

The two sides exchanged chances in the closing stages but Wright and Whiteman continued the game’s general trend of missing the target.

The whistle went after a minute of added time, with neither side able to get a decisive goal. 

Subs: Brown (Edge 60), Sheriff (Issa 79), Williams, Ocran, James.

  U's: Bransgrove, Vincent-Young, Wynter, Peter, Triallist, Garvan, Diaz Wright, Sembie-Ferris, Issa, Edge, Bonne

It was the U’s that had the majority of those chances but they had to settle for a point form the goalless draw.