Colchester United played out a draw with Oldham Athletic

A point helped neither Colchester United or Oldham Athletic, in their League Two survival crusade.

Having trailed at half-time, a deficit that could easily have been greater had Hallam Hope not squandered a gilt-edged chance just before the break, the U's will probably feel the happier of the two sides after the 1-1 draw.

They were the team that finished the stronger and the side that looked most likely to grab a precious winner, in what was a crucial contest.

As it was, it was a point apiece, a result that saw Colchester's buffer between themselves and the bottom two reduced to two points and Oldham drop into the relegation zone, albeit with two games in hand on their most recent opponents.

And that, in truth, was what neither side really wanted, especially with Carlisle United winning at Leyton Orient.

“We could be sitting here with three points but we’re not – we’re sitting here with one and it’s important we do everything we can to win the game which I thought we did," said U's interim head coach Wayne Brown (pictured below).

“I thought there was only one team looking to win it but we certainly don’t lose it, especially against teams in and around us."

Brown said Colchester's first-half display against Oldham was not 'horrendous' and that was an accurate assessment.

But it was not brilliant, either, and the fact that the visitors were the better side in the opening 45 minutes was disappointing albeit not entirely surprising, given the U's dire home record.

Oldham looked the more coherent of the two sides and the hosts lacked quality or guile, in the final third.

In keeping with recent games, the goal Colchester conceded from a set piece was also disappointing, especially given the Latics' past history of capitalising on such scenario.

But on the bright side, the U's second-half display was a big improvement, helped by the introduction of leading goalscorer Freddie Sears who was surprisingly left on the bench.

Indeed, U's interim boss Brown made four changes to his starting line-up, in a bid to conjure up a much-needed and long overdue home win.

Noah Chilvers' deflected strike gave Colchester the boost they needed and they looked the more likely side to secure a winner, after that.

Sears, Luke Hannant and livewire Owura Edwards all came close but Colchester's long wait for a home victory goes on.

It is also now five games without a win for the U's, whose last victory came at Leyton Orient on February 5.

Orient, another team struggling against relegation with an interim manager at the helm, provide the opposition for the U's next match, on Tuesday night.

For the second successive match, it is a crucial home match for the U's against a side in serious danger of dropping out of the Football League.

With games running out and tougher tests lying ahead, it is imperative that Colchester somehow find a way of turning a draw into a win.