COLCHESTER 0 CITY 0

CITY tightened up after their recent defensive wobbles to take a hard-earned point from chilly Essex.

The battling Bantams made it five draws out of six on their travels against a Colchester side now unbeaten in 14 games.

It was far from a classic but Gary Bowyer will have been pleased with the resolve shown by his revamped team following their soft moments in the previous two games.

And they could have made the trip home with all three points had Chris Taylor’s cracking second-half drive been a fraction lower as it crashed off the bar.

There was a neat symmetry about the form table ahead of the first meeting between the clubs in four years.

Colchester were unbeaten in the league since October – City had not won away in that time.

Football logic suggested last night could break both streaks but honours remained even between two well-matched teams.

Colchester had done the double in the season they last faced off but would still end it dropping out of League One.

City’s hopes of clambering back up at the first attempt have receded amid a run of hit-and-miss displays which culminated in the weekend boos at Valley Parade. They needed a shake-up.

Bowyer rolled the dice with his team selection and made five changes for the second game running.

The major overhaul came in midfield, an area where they had been very much second best to Scunthorpe at the weekend.

It was all change in there with Dylan Connolly, Taylor and Jake Reeves all recalled to the starting line-up. Connor Wood was also pushed forward into a wide-left role with Adam Henley slotting in behind him at full back.

And with James Vaughan beginning his two-game ban, Shay McCartan was given a first opportunity to partner Eoin Doyle up front.

Paudie O’Connor, Hope Akpan, Callum Cooke all dropped to the bench – and Matty Palmer was left out completely as Bowyer looked for a more go-forward performance.

It was a bold set-up as the manager and assistant Martin Drury spent the opening moments screaming “get out” at their team to avoid being penned in.

But there was an early scare as Kelvin Mellor was caught shouting for an offside that never came against Callum Harriott as the winger whipped a dangerous ball through the goal mouth.

Connolly and McCartan did not make the most of crossing opportunities on the break before Eoin Doyle saw a shot deflected wide after Connolly was sent scampering by Reeves’ raking pass.

City were trying to get the Irish flyer on the ball as much as they could and Kelvin Mellor pick-pocketed Ryan Clampin to set him off again but the Colchester left back recovered well to prevent the cross.

The visitors were fuming when Wood was left in a heap by a crunching tackle from Harry Pell, referee Trevor Kettle letting play continue as the U’s midfielder fired high into the empty stand behind Luke McGee’s goal.

Seeing the replay, it looked a shocking challenge – and bemusing that the official should deem it fair and take no action. Fortunately Wood was able to carry on after a lengthy hold-up.

Connolly’s duel with Clampin was becoming a key feature and there was a brief flare-up when the City man was clipped on the halfway line. Both players squared up before Kettle calmed matters with a stern warning.

The home fans kept up a constant chorus of “CUFC” but it wasn’t until seven minutes before the break when they had a first chance to get excited about. Ryan Jackson fired the ball across goal and Frank Nouble met it first time with a side-foot that was always heading wide.

Doyle did have the ball in the Colchester net after Dean Gerken spilled Ben Richards-Everton’s flick from Chris Taylor’s free-kick but the assistant’s flag was already up for offside and the striker knew it.

Honours were very much even at the break after a half which saw plenty of endeavour but few opportunities. At least City were showing no signs of coughing up more soft goals after the previous two games.

Colchester had most of the possession without hurting the Bantams, although McCartan went awry with an attempted curler to start the second period.

Nouble was forced off after going down off the ball and Taylor was briefly down too, another victim of Pell’s exuberant tackling.

As he lay on the floor, Pell advanced to let fly with a thundering first-timer from just inside the City box but McGee was equal to it with a fine block. It was another good save from the new loan keeper.

Wood coolly dispossessed sub Courtney Senior in the box before Richards-Everton was forced into a more urgent sliding interception. Eastman then nodded over as Colchester upped the pressure.

Kwame Poku fired high and wide at one end; Doyle did at least force Gerken into a regulation save with his shot on the turn at the other.

But Luke Prosser should have done far better than thrash at it wildly when a ball dropped to him unmarked outside the City six-yard box.

Senior then saw a gap open invitingly through the middle after Taylor lost possession but McGee was there again with a safe pair of hands to save low down.

Henley picked up a loose ball on the counter and squared invitingly to McCartan but he could not connect properly with the shot.

But City were a whisker away from a spectacular opener after 76 minutes. Wood pumped a ball forward that was chested down by Doyle and Taylor let rip with a fierce half-volley that rocked against the Colchester bar.

That lifted the visitors and Harry Pritchard, just on for McCartan, instantly set up Connolly, only for the winger to lose his footing at the vital moment.

Then it was Colchester’s turn to go close, Clampin’s cross being met sweetly by Pell as the ball clipped off the top of the stanchion behind the City net.

Connolly looked to motor past Clampin but frustratingly there was no end product. Again, there was a bit of a tangle afterwards and the full back was booked.

Colchester had a stoppage-time flurry but City’s back door remained locked to see out the point.