Colchester emerged with their first goalless draw of the season after enduring a tremendous Plymouth onslaught at Layer Road.

Plymouth took their unbeaten run to four games but will have left feeling they should have taken three points.

The visitors had much more possession from the start and busy Ian Stonebridge posed all sorts of problems in a first half which should have seen the Devon side go in front.

Stonebridge missed a golden chance just before half-time when he was left completely unmarked but sent his shot high and wide. Earlier efforts from Micky Evans and David Norris were much nearer to the target.

To try and instil more punch, Colchester manager Steve Whitton sent on striker Scott McGleish for the second half.

And although Colchester mounted some promising attacks, Plymouth goalkeeper Romain Larrieu was seldom troubled.

After 66 minutes, Norris produced a smart header which Simon Brown fumbled but retrieved at the second attempt.

There was little respite for the overworked Colchester defence who somehow escaped when David Worrell crossed and Evans, playing his 300th league game for Argyle, got in a header which rebounded off the inside of the post.

Colchester: Brown, Stockley, White, Baldwin, Warren, Keith, Pinault, Bowry, Stockwell, Morgan, Rapley. Subs: McGleish, Keeble, Coote, Canham, McKinney.

Plymouth: Larrieu, Worrell, Hodges, Barras, Coughlan, Wotton, Adams, Norris, Keith, Stonebridge, Evans. Subs: McCormick, Beresford, Sturrock, McGlinchey, Lopes.

Referee: C Boyeson (E Yorkshire)