Stevenage picked up their second successive no-score draw at home with a stalemate against Colchester United at the Lame Stadium.

As with the contest against Tranmere Rovers it finished 0-0, giving Boro what might yet prove to be another valuable point in their fight against relegation from League Two.

There were chances but not many and while there was another clean sheet and a better performance than the one in the 3-1 defeat at Exeter City on Saturday, at some stage they will have to turn these one points into three.

They will take the draw though especially as the very final action saw Luther James-Wildin hook one off the line.

Changes were expected for Stevenage, Matt Stevens' inclusion in place of Danny Newton was no surprise, but there was also recalls for Romain Vincleot and Elliott List, Jack Smith and Tom Pett the men missing out.

The latter didn't even make the bench but there was a return for Elliot Osborne.

For Colchester there were two changes although neither were Aramide Oteh, the once Boro loanee now temporarily at United.

There was still one more change to come for the home side. Scott Cuthbert, who had been out for the warm-up, did not start. Ross Marshall his very late replacement.

It didn't seem to have too much of an effect as the latecomer had a decent outing, one fabulous sliding tackle that took out team-mate Ben Coker aside.

List too looked to be making the most of his opportunity, with plenty of energy in both defence and attack.

One wriggling run as early as the fourth minute ended with his threaded through ball just too far in front of Matt Stevens while another purposeful push forward later in the half came to an end when his clipped cross ran across the face of goal and out of play.

Chances were few and far between though. Luke Norris having the only one on target, a tame side-foot effort that lacked power and was straight at Dean Gerken, while Charlie Carter curled another wide.

The final ball or the final decision was proving to be the main problem and that was especially true of the visitors, who despite finding themselves in some very promising positions, never tested Jamie Cumming.

Both sides remedied their low shot count with efforts inside the first five minutes of the second half.

List had the first, the narrow angle never looking likely to beat the keeper but Gerken had to have a strong pair of hands to push the firmly hit shot round the post.

Callum Harriott had the Colchester shot, again struck with venom but straight at the keeper.

List went even closer on 56 minutes when he was allowed to run forward 15 yards to the edge of the box unimpeded.

It was crying out to be hit so he did just that but after beating Gerken it bounced off the inside of the post. Stevens tucked away the rebound but he was flagged offside.

It led to a good spell of pressure but again the final ball was either over-hit or misdirected.

Charlie Carter just couldn't collect a ball into him and both he and List had shots blocked from a corner. Substitute Tyrone Marsh also put a header wide after getting in front of his defender at the near post.

But although it was mostly the home side doing the pressing, they were still grateful to see a Courtney Senior drive fly across Cumming's goal and wide.

That late clearance aside there was little to suggest either side would grab a winner but with Southend United losing to Bradford City, Boro stay outside of the bottom two.


Stevenage: Cumming, James-Wildin, Coker, Vincelot (J.Smith 87) Carter (Osborne 87), Vancooten, List (Marsh 72), Read, Marshall, Stevens (Newton 78), Norris.

Subs (not used): Johnson, Prosser, Hutton.

Booked: Read 14, Vincelot 67


Colchester United: Gerken, Welch-Hayes, Brammall, T.Smith, Senior, Brown (Oteh 76), Harriott, Chilvers, Eastman, Poku (Folivi 72), Stevenson.

Subs (not used): George, Sowunmi, Miranda, Sayer, Tchamadeu.

Booked: Brown 36, Eastman 41


HT: Stevenage 0 Colchester United 0

Referee: James Adcock (Nottingham)