Play-off chasing Colchester were left frustrated after being held to a 0-0 draw at home to relegation-threatened Crawley.

Colchester almost took a 14th-minute lead when Arthur Read dragged a low shot wide of the near post.

Crawley 'keeper Jacob Chapman saved from both Rob Hunt and Samson Tovide while soon after, Reds defender Scott Malone diverted a cross towards his own goal forcing Chapman to turn the ball away for a corner.

And Malone was in the thick of the action again minutes later when he cleared Read's close-range effort away from near his own goal-line after a short corner.

Crawley's best chance of the first half came when Dion Pereira's header from a deep cross was saved by Colchester keeper Matt Macey, as the sides went in goalless at the break.

Crawley's Klaidi Lolos fired inches past the far post early in the second half and substitute Ronan Darcy saw his deflected effort go just wide late on for the visitors as the spoils were shared.