COLCHESTER United were left frustrated this afternoon after they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to struggling Walsall.

Saddlers keeper Liam Roberts made a string of good saves to foil the U's, who had to settle for a point following an uninspiring encounter at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Colchester were able to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to six matches with the draw but they will have been disappointed not to extend their winning run.

U's head coach John McGreal made two changes to his starting line-up for their game against Walsall.

Tom Lapslie returned to the U’s team for the first time since August 13, after recovering from a quad injury.

And Paris Cowan-Hall was handed his first start in League Two for the club.

Brandon Comley and Luke Gambin both missed out due to being on international duty with Montserrat and Malta, respectively.

The first half was a pretty forgettable affair, although the U's had the better of the chances.

Colchester almost took the lead after just 38 seconds when right-back Ryan Jackson’s low effort from the edge of the area was saved by Walsall keeper Liam Roberts.

And the U’s went close again eight minutes later through top scorer Luke Norris, who forced Roberts to push away his low effort from the edge of the area.

Colchester made the bright start but Walsall began to warm to the task, as the half wore.

They registered their first effort on goal when Danny Guthrie made inroads into the Colchester area but saw his lifted effort his plucked out of the air by U’s keeper Dean Gerken.

There was little to really choose between the two sides as the half wore on, although the U’s looking marginally the more threatening.

However, they were frustrated on more than one occasion by the Saddlers’ offside trap and well-organised backline, marshalled superbly by Zak Jules.

The teams went in goal-less at the break after a largely forgettable first half, with the U's looking for more zip in the second period.

Colchester almost took the lead seven minutes after the interval when Ryan Clampin's deflected effort sailed inches wide for a corner.

But Walsall were well in the game and Gerken had to push away Gary Liddle's 25-yard strike for a corner.

Colchester made their first change just before the midway point of the second half, sending on Jevani Brown for Cowan-Hall in a bid to make the breakthrough.

Theo Robinson then replaced Norris up front and Colchester almost took a 76th-minute lead when Jackson's 20-yard strike was pushed away by Roberts.

Walsall substitute Elijah Adebayo's overhead kick flew straight at Gerken as the clock ticked down.

Kwame Poku came on for his Colchester league debut late on but neither team could find a winner, as the points were shared.