Colchester United were forced to settle for a point against Crawley Town after a goalless draw at the Broadfield Stadium.
The U’s had the better of the play for a good portion of the first half, and for the majority of the second half, but couldn’t force home a winner.
Colchester United lined up with two changes from Saturday’s eleven that beat Salford City; Will Greenidge and Freddie Sears came in for Connor Wood and Samson Tovide, who took their places amongst the substitutes.
It meant Ben Garner’s side lined up with the usual back three, with Will Greenidge at right-wing back and Junior Tchamadeu swapping sides to start at left-wing back. Arthur Read and Ossama Ashley would continue to operate as a holding pair behind Noah Chilvers who was supporting John Akinde and Freddie Sears in attack.
Colchester made a bright start, cheered on by a noisy travelling contingent and went close to getting their noses in front early on at the Broadfield Stadium, with Tchamadeu’s throw deflected onto the line, but quickly cleared by the hosts.
But the pressure swiftly came from the Red Devils with former U’s loanee Rem Oteh and last season’s League Two top scorer, Dom Telford both going close to breaking the deadlock.
Oteh struck the foot of the post with a low, curling effort from the edge of the penalty area on seventeen minutes, with Dom Telford striking wide from a good position sixty seconds on.
The U’s would have a couple of good chanced of their own soon after though in what was turning into an end-to-end game. Luke Chambers first struck the woodwork with a powerful header from Read’s corner, before Noah Chilvers lofted his free kick over the wall, and the crossbar.
It was the last clear-cut chance of the first forty-five minutes, in a tightly contested match; the half-time whistle blew with it goalless in Crawley.
Ben Garner opted for one change at half time, with Freddie Sears making way for Samson Tovide, and the new man wasted no time in making an impact on the Crawley defenders.
Akinde battled well, as he had done throughout the first half, to keep possession and lay the ball off to Tovide, who saw his low drive palmed away by Addai. Samson then had another chance a couple of minutes later, but lost his footing after Tchamadeu’s cross with the hosts able to scoop the ball out of danger.
Colchester were creating plenty of chances, but just seemed to lack the cutting edge that would have broken the deadlock for them. It led to a change from the hosts, with Telford replaced by Gladwin, but the U’s kept finding opportunities in front of goal.
Tovide and Akinde had started to link up with each providing for the other, without being able to find the net. And Tovide’s running was causing problems for Conroy and Ransom, with the pair having their hands full from the Garner’s first sub.
The U’s kept the pressure on though, as the hosts made another change; Tilley came off for Fellows, with Ben Garner’s side aiming for a late winner.
John Akinde was brought off after a good shift up front for the U’s with ten minutes to play. He was replaced by Tom Hopper, just before Noah Chilvers created another good opportunity for his side.
A seemingly unstoppable run from the midfielder brought his side further up the pitch as the hosts cut frustrated figures ono the pitch; the resulting corner was cleared but only to Chilvers who shot narrowly wide of the nearpost.
It was the story of the evening for the U’s who wouldn’t be able to force home a winner, with Ben Garner’s side forced to settle for a point.
The goalless draw means the U’s extend their advantage to seven points from the bottom two, and would secure their Football League status by simply matching Hartlepool United’s result on Saturday afternoon.
Crawley Town starting XI: Addai, Conroy, Tilley (Fellows 71’), Powell, Nadesan, Ransom, Telford (Gladwin 64’), Johnson, Oteh, Tsaroulla, Grant.
Subs: Schofield. Gladwin, Khaleel, Roles, Fellows, Spong, Mazeed.
Colchester United starting XI: Smith, Greenidge, Chambers, Sears (Tovide 46’), Chilvers, Kelleher, Read (Marshall Miranda 90’), Ashley, Tchamadeu, Akinde (Hopper 81’), Hall.
Subs: O’Hara, Jay, Wood, Hopper, Marshall Miranda, Tovide, Fevrier.
Attendance: 2,849 (445)