Colchester United 0 Newport County 0 - match report as U's are held at home
COLCHESTER United were left frustrated this afternoon after being held to a 0-0 draw by a stubborn Newport County AFC side, at the JobServe Community Stadium.
The U's were the better team in the League Two clash but were unable to find a way past Exiles goalkeeper Nick Townsend, as the visitors claimed a fourth successive draw in League Two.
The stalemate extended Colchester's unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions and they have now not conceded in eight and half hours of football but they will be disappointed not to have claimed a third successive win.
Colchester boss Danny Cowley made four changes to the side he started with against AFC Wimbledon in the Vertu Trophy.
Harry Anderson, Samson Tovide, Arthur Read and Mandela Egbo came into the side, with Teddy Bishop, Rob Hunt, Oscar Thorn and Lyle Taylor dropping out.
Colchester dominated the first half and registered the game’s first effort on goal when Jack Payne’s swerving effort was pushed over by Newport goalkeeper Nick Townsend for a corner, after Colchester had won possession in the final third.
U’s goalkeeper Matt Macey was called into action midway through the first half when he saved with his legs at his near post from centre-back Matthew Baker, who had got round the back from a free-kick.
But it was Colchester who were creating the chances and Owura Edwards fired into the side netting, after a neat exchange of passes with Arthur Read.
Mandela Egbo's shot flashed past the far upright from a difficult angle after a sweeping U's move had seen them go from one side of the pitch to the other, just before the half hour.
And Colchester had a big penalty appeal turned down when Newport defender Joe Thomas appeared to handle Tovide's attempted pass in the area.
There was time before half-time for Shane McLoughlin to nod Colchester skipper Tom Flanagan's far-post header off the line, as the sides went in goal-less at the break.
Colchester brought on Oscar Thorn for Anderson at the break while Newport made a double change and it seemed to lift the visitors, in the early stages of the second half.
In the opening minute after the restart, Michael Spellman's shot was spilt by Macey but at the other end, Townsend was also tested when he saved Payne's effort.
Thorn began to have more of an influence on the right flank as the second half wore on and U's boss Danny Cowley made further changes just before the midway point in the second half, with Bishop and Taylor introduced off the bench in a bid to make the crucial breakthrough.
Tovide had a sniff of goal midway through the second half when he latched onto a under-hit pass in the Newport area but Townsend grabbed the ball away from under his nose and the chance went begging.
With 15 minutes remaining, Flanagan made a great block inside his own six-yard box to deny Bryn Morris while at the other end, substitute JK Gordon's header was plucked out of the air by Townsend from underneath his own crossbar, as both sides pushed for a winner.
Taylor stabbed wide at the near post from Tovide's cross in the final minute of normal time and more than seven minutes were added on at the end but the spoils were shared.
MATCH STATS: COLCHESTER UNITED: Macey, Egbo, Flanagan, Donnelly, Iandolo, Read (sub Taylor, 65), McDonnell, Anderson (sub Thorn, 46), Payne (sub Bishop, 65), Edwards (sub Gordon, 77), Tovide.
Substitutes (not used): Kelleher, Hunt, Smith.
Newport County: Townsend, Baker, Brennan, Thomas (sub Kamwa, 46), Evans, McLoughlin, Spellman (sub Jameson, 90), Boni (sub Glennon, 46), Morris, Antwi (sub Mawene, 72), Hudlin (sub Jephcott, 72).
Substitutes (not used): Clarke, Carney.
Referee: Scott Jackson.
Bookings: Colchester: Egbo (foul, 21), Flanagan (foul, 90). Newport: McLoughlin (foul, 42), Morris (foul, 90).
Attendance: 4,046 (139 Newport fans).