Colchester United held by Crawley Town in League Two
Colchester climb to 10th in the table, three points outside play-offs
Crawley move two points above the drop zone but could fall into bottom two on Saturday
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FT: Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Image source, ShutterstockNo goals to brighten our Friday night.
You can read a full report from The Community Stadium here.
Our dedicated League Two page has all the news and we are back tomorrow with live text coverage right across the EFL.
Until then, thanks for joining us and enjoy the rest of your evening.
FT: Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Image source, BBC Sport/Getty ImagesProbably a good night for the respective rivals of Colchester and Crawley.
The U's are three points short of the play-offs but it could be six by tomorrow evening.
Crawley could well drop into the relegation zone if Saturday's results go against them.
FT: Colchester 0-0 Crawley
David Gregory
Ex-Colchester midfielder on BBC Essex
The visitors will probably have enough from what we have seen tonight to be okay and survive this season.
FT: Colchester 0-0 Crawley
David Gregory
Ex-Colchester midfielder on BBC Essex
Two valuable points dropped for Colchester tonight, especially going into two tough games next week.
They just did not test the Crawley goalkeeper enough in the end.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Image source, ShutterstockA point each but will it be enough for either come the end of the season?
Colchester pressed hard in the second period with Kyreece Lisbie having an effort saved and Will Goodwin trying to pass rather than shoot when set free.
The home side might have had a penalty when Jack Payne went down in the box.
Matt Macey in the home goal denied Dion Pereira and Ronan Darcy.
This feels like a missed opportunity for both of these teams.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
A sixth caution for Crawley
Geraldo Bajrami joins the yellow-card club.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
We will have at least three minutes of time added on.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Harry Forster is Crawley's fifth man into the book.
He catches Romeo Akachukwu late.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
The ball falls nicely to Geraldo Bajrami on the edge of the Colchester box but his shot is blocked.
Both sides are desperate to find a winner.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Colchester have won just one of their past 12 meetings with Crawley.
The visitors have not lost at The Community Stadium since 2018.
We are running out of time to find a winner tonight.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Neil Kelly
BBC Essex
Crawley have just had their third genuine chance of the game, forcing Matt Macey into a save at his near post. They will feel they have created enough to potentially get something more out of this game.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Big chance for Crawley.
Ronan Darcy is played in but Matt Macey is down to save well at his near post.
The chances are coming at both ends now.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Colchester send on Ipswich loanee Finlay Barbrook for Teddy Bishop
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Oh what is Will Goodwin doing?
Arther Read sends him away with only Jacob Chapman to beat but he squares it to try to find Jaden Williams and Crawley are able to clear.
He surely has to shoot from there?
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
David Gregory
Ex-Colchester midfielder on BBC Essex
A great bit of play from Colchester there, really putting the pressure on at the moment. Crawley have had to defend solidly at times and just then was no different.
The U's are really cranking up the pressure.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Jaden Williams gets to the Crawley by-line and Will Goodwin's shot is blocked by a mass of red shirts.
Another corner - this is the fourth in about three minutes.
Arthur Read clips a cross to the far post where Jack Tucker just cannot get enough on a header.
Crawley are creaking...
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Colchester win three corners in quick succession.
The home side are turning up the heat and Crawley have everyone back defending.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Kyreece Lisbie plays a lovely ball along the Crawley six-yard area but there is no-one there to turn it in.
Jacob Chapman then fumbles the ball behind for a Colchester corner from which Jaden Williams skies a shot.
It's beginning to feel like one of those nights where one goal is going to settle this.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Neil Kelly
BBC Essex
It feels like a very quiet period in the game at the minute, something that is really suiting Crawley.
They have been able to create a couple of chances of their own, but won't mind this tempo.
Colchester 0-0 Crawley
Samson Tovide, Jack Payne and Harry Anderson are off for Colchester.
Will Goodwin, Romeo Akachukwu and Jaden Williams are on.
Crawley bring on Tobi Adeyemo for Klaidi Lolos.
Fresh legs, fresh ideas?
Matt Macey made a smart first-half save for Colchester
Colchester United missed the chance to close on the League Two play-off places as they were held at home by lowly Crawley.
A tepid affair saw very few chances and the U's moved up only to 10th, three points outside the top seven.
The closest they came to a goal was in the first half when Crawley's Scott Malone turned a cross towards his own net and forced an excellent save from his goalkeeper Jacob Chapman.
For Crawley it could be a valuable point in their battle for survival and they move two points above the drop zone.
Crawley have now gone eight games without a win but fashioned the best chance of the night when Malone's cross found Dion Pereira and his downward header was kept out by the knees of Matt Macey in the Colchester goal.
Late in the game, Ronan Darcy also forced a save out of Macey at his near post as he shot on the turn but otherwise it was a second half of holding out for a point by the visitors.
The most serious pressure from the hosts came in the final quarter as Danny Cowley threw on three substitutes and they forced a series of corners.
Jaden Williams shot over with his left boot from 10 yards out before Will Goodwin saw his close-range effort well blocked.
Goodwin was then sent clear into the area but decided to try and square for Williams and a poor pass allowed the clearance to be made.
The next week could make or break Colchester's season as they visit second-placed MK Dons on Wednesday, before a trip to leaders Bromley next Saturday.
Crawley face play-off chasing Barnet and Fleetwood in their upcoming fixtures.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 19 | 13 | 4 | 59 | 36 | 23 | 70 |
| |
| 36 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 72 | 36 | 36 | 68 |
| |
| 35 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 50 | 28 | 22 | 65 |
| |
| 35 | 19 | 7 | 9 | 54 | 34 | 20 | 64 |
| |
| 36 | 19 | 6 | 11 | 59 | 43 | 16 | 63 |
| |
| 36 | 19 | 4 | 13 | 50 | 46 | 4 | 61 |
| |
| 35 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 50 | 39 | 11 | 56 |
| |
| 36 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 57 | 47 | 10 | 56 |
| |
| 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 53 | 43 | 10 | 56 |
| |
| 36 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 50 | 39 | 11 | 53 |
| |
| 36 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 44 | 39 | 5 | 53 |
| |
| 36 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 43 | 40 | 3 | 53 |
| |
| 36 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 47 | 45 | 2 | 50 |
| |
| 34 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 39 | 31 | 8 | 49 |
| |
| 35 | 13 | 8 | 14 | 38 | 37 | 1 | 47 |
| |
| 35 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 43 | 47 | -4 | 45 |
| |
| 36 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 37 | 56 | -19 | 41 |
| |
| 35 | 10 | 8 | 17 | 38 | 59 | -21 | 38 |
| |
| 36 | 11 | 4 | 21 | 37 | 58 | -21 | 37 |
| |
| 36 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 48 | 65 | -17 | 35 |
| |
| 37 | 6 | 12 | 19 | 35 | 58 | -23 | 30 |
| |
| 35 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 35 | 55 | -20 | 28 |
| |
| 36 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 36 | 63 | -27 | 28 |
| |
| 36 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 26 | 56 | -30 | 27 |
|
Manager:Danny Cowley
Formation:4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager:Scott Lindsey
Formation:3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager:Danny Cowley
Formation:4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager:Scott Lindsey
Formation:3 - 4 - 2 - 1
League Two
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Colchester United have won just one of their last 12 league games against Crawley Town (D5 L6), a 3-2 win in April 2024
Crawley Town are unbeaten across their last five league visits to Colchester (W2 D3) since a 1-3 defeat in October 2018.
Colchester have won six of their last nine home league games (D1 L2), conceding just five goals in total across that time and never more than once in the same match.
With 29 points across their opening 36 league games this season, Crawley are enduring their worst ever campaign in the EFL at this stage of a campaign. At this point last season they had 30 points but were relegated from League One.
