CITY 0 COLCHESTER 0

IT’S not just Boris who could do with a workable Plan B right now.

As the country was pushed towards tighter restrictions by the under-fire prime minister, Derek Adams is still looking for a way to loosen the City shackles.

Another draw, the fifth in six games since their last league win, increased the agitation as the season muddles along in mid-table.

Colchester’s visit was the first of two home outings in four days – an ideal springboard, surely, to breathe some much-needed impetus into proceedings after so much time spent on the road in the last month.

But it merely brought another episode of frustrating failure to turn good openings into goals. How many times have we seen that now?

Colchester offered little but were rarely troubled once they had negotiated City’s fast start.

There was a depressing predictability about the outcome from about the 30th minute.

And that’s the problem facing Adams – how to get this team free from their current straitjacket and unlocking opponents like they did so effectively in the campaign’s early days.

This was a poor watch for the Valley Parade faithful, whose patience is being stretched after another result as numbing as the weather.

Perhaps we should not be surprised with the outcome.

Not just the form guide but the history book suggested there would be nothing between the sides.

Colchester are now unbeaten in their last seven trips to Valley Parade – with six of them ending in draws. It’s 40 years since City have beaten them at home.

They arrived having run League One high-flyers Wigan close in the FA Cup while the Bantams were enjoying a rare weekend with their feet up.

But then Colchester had also not picked up a point on the road since September.

Having had that chance to catch their breath after such a hectic November, Derek Adams shuffled his available resources with two changes from the Exeter loss.

The big call was in goal where Sam Hornby was handed a first league start of the season as Richard O’Donnell was axed to the bench.

Theo Robinson also came in for Callum Cooke as Adams added a second striker from the off – while Caolan Lavery provided a boost with his return in a full set of substitutes after one day back in training.

There was a new – and familiar – face in the home dug-out and the applause that greeted Andy Kiwomya indicated how well his appointment as the new performance coach had gone down with fans.

Adams had called for a fast start and City were quick out the blocks with Lee Angol’s volley testing Colchester keeper Jake Turner.

Elliot Watt’s teasing free-kick just needed a touch on the end of it. Then Alex Gilliead bustled past his man to tee up Robinson 10 yards out but Luke Chambers made a goal-saving sliding block.

As City continued to press, Lee Angol showed great control to bring down Niall Canavan’s hoof forward but Turner again came to Colchester’s rescue.

The shots were stacking up in a one-sided first quarter – a predictable storyline this season as City chased the breakthrough their front-foot approach in that initial spell had deserved.

Hornby had seen little action in the opening half hour, other than watching an Alan Judge effort curl safely over the bar.

Inevitably, there was an edginess about the crowd the longer the stalemate went on. It was territory that had been too familiar on so many occasions, City carrying the threat but with nothing to show from it.

Colchester stiffened up their midfield by adding Brendan Wiredu before the break. They looked to have already settled for a point at that stage as the home side’s approach lost the intensity of the first 20 minutes.

But the substitute threatened to unlock City at the start of the second half, capitalising on a misunderstanding to thread a pass through for Judge racing into the box.

Hornby, though, was off his line smartly to narrow the angle and block with his body. It was an alert save having previously had so little to do.

It was the first sense of danger for the Bantams and might have encouraged Colchester to come forward more than they had done. But they seemed content to sit back on what they had.

The fans were trying to stick with City but there was no sign of the earlier impetus as they attacked towards the Kop. The play lacked urgency as the hosts lost their way.

Robinson made way for Cooke just after the hour but the contest had become scrappier and just appeared to be drifting. The groans in the stands were becoming more audible as a growing silence pervaded.

Colchester skipper Tommy Smith nodded wide from a free-kick but there was precious little incident at either end.

Gareth Evans replaced Yann Songo’o and Caolan Lavery returned after a fortnight out when he came on late for Gilliead, one of City’s brighter performers.

Then the game found some life again in the closing stages.

The Bantams dodged a bullet in the 89th minute when Cole Skuse found space 20 yards out but could not hit the target with a curled shot.

Hornby then raced quickly out to smother as Freddie Sears burst clear and appeared to handle – before Angol missed a golden chance in stoppage time, blazing over after Elliot Watt had played him into the box.

It was a finish that lacked composure, summing up his team's ongoing short-comings to leave them meandering six points behind the play-off pack.