A late goal from Iain Hume cost the U's two points which would have taken them off the bottom of the Championship at the expense of Scunthorpe United. Kevin Lisbie had earlier put the U's ahead against struggling Leicester City.

Leicester City and Colchester United have only met four times and today included, there has been nothing to split them as they played a fourth successive draw. United took the lead through Kevin Lisbie's header but Iain Hume equalised just a minute from time. In truth, the game was never a classic and a shared of the points was a fair result.

U's manager Geraint Williams kept faith with the side that had beaten Ipswich last weekend with two goal hero Scott Vernon keeping Clive Platt - back from injury - on the bench. Young winger Medy Elito also kept his place while former Leicester central defender Matt Heath parterned Chris Coyne at the back.

Leicester City manager Ian Holloway knew that this was a vital game with his side still in the relegation places at kick-off. Victory over the U's would aid their plight so he went with with Premiership experience. Former Derby striker Steve Howard was partnered by ex-Fulham man Barry Hayles while DJ Campbell, Bruno N'Gotty, Jamie Clapham, Matt Oakley and Lee Hendri have all played in the top flight.

It was always going to be a crappy game with one side fighting for their Championship life. Gerken had to punch away a Steve Howard header across goal under pressure from Campbell before Hendrie spooned the ball over the bar. An exciting five minutes or so ended as Gerken raced out of his goal to block DJ Campbell's shot with his chest.

Gerken was then called upon to save from Howard who, as always, was causing the U's problems with his physical presence. As the ball fell to Hendrie you felt the former Aston Villa man would test the U's keeper, but the midfielder missed his kick at the vital moment.

Kisnorbo headed over before the U's first moment of note as Vernon got on to Hammond's pass and squared for Lisbie who couldn't direct the ball goalwards - he would have been offside anyway. However, the U's had got back in to the game after the early onslaught and, apart from a late chance for Gerken who was quickly out of his goal yet again, the U's coped well enough in the final twenty minutes off the half.

Neither side made a change at the break and it took a while for the half to get going. Hayles put the ball in to the U's net but saw his effort ruled out for offside though only a timely challenge from John White prevented the former Fulham man from scoring after Howard's knockdown.

Williams made his first change with Platt taking Vernon's place up front and almost immediately, the U's nearly took the lead. It was a great save from Henderson who tipped over Kevin Lisbie's shot which had taken a slight deflection on its was goalwards.

The game was held up for a brief moment as a Leicester fan got on to the pitch to tear up his season ticket in front of Ian Holloway before the Foxes manager made his first changes with Iain Hume and Matty Fryatt coming on for the more physical presence of Barry Hayles and Steve Howard.

Williams counted with Izzet coming on for Elito with Jackson going out wider. The U's diminuitive midfielder took a while to get in to the game and his early error found the U's stretched by a lightning quick Leicester raid goalwards. Indeed, Campbell looked to be on the verge of pulling the trigger and only a superb tackle from Duguid prevented the former Brentford striker from putting the home side in the lead.

However, with quarter of an hour the U's took the lead thanks to leading goalscorer Kevin Lisbie. Jackson, pushed out wide by the arrival of Izzet, swung over a delightful cross which Lisbie - with two years left on his Layer Road contract, headed past Henderson for his seventeeth of the season. Creator Jackson almost got himself a goal but Kisnorbo was brave with his block.

Stearman had a good chance to bring City level with six minutes left as he stole in between two defenders to  head over before Holloway played his final card with McAuley - usually a central defender - thrown up front in place of defender Bruno N'Gotty.

It almost paid immediate dividends with a super chance for Matty Fryatt. He did everything right, bringing the ball onto his right foot but inexplicably, with just Gerken to beat, fired wide. The ref did award a corner which suggested that Duguid might have got a touch - but it could prove to be a pivotal moment of the season for Leicester City.

However, with a minute to go, Leicester did get the equaliser through Canadian International Iain Hume. The former Tranmere man took a chance that Hendrie would flick on Stearman's cross in to the box and as the U's pushed out, he headed past Gerken at the far post.

In injury time the U's had two great chances to win the game - and what would have been their first back-to-back wins of the season. Jackson would have loved his chance on his left foot, but unfortuantely he blazed wide with his right on the other side of the pitch whicle a terrific ball in from Phil Ifil saw Lisbie head over from close range. He picked up a dead league in the effort from keeper Henderson which saw Jamie Guy came on in his place.

Leicester: Henderson, Stearman, N'Gotty (McAuley 86), Kisnorbo, Clapham, Bell, Oakley, Hendrie, Hayles (Hume 70), Campbell, Howard (Fryatt 70)
Subs not used: Wesolowski and Alnwick

U's: Gerken, Ifil, Coyne, Heath, White, Duguid, Hammond, jackson, Elito (Izzet 73), Vernon (Platt 64), Lisbie (Guy 90)
Subs not used: Balogh and Cousins

Ref: Neil Swarbrick

Att: 22,719

Photo: Action Images

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