Town's pre-season friendly at Colchester remains goalless at the break. Paul Anderson came closest to netting for the Blues with an early diving header.
Town, wearing their new orange away kit for the first time, started with ex-Colchester man Dean Gerken in goal, Elliott Hewitt at right-back, Tyrone Mings on the left and Luke Chambers and Christophe Berra at the centre of the defence.
In central midfield, another ex-U’s man Anthony Wordsworth began the game alongside Luke Hyam with Alex Henshall on the left and Paul Anderson on the right. Daryl Murphy was partnered by Frank Nouble up front.
Missing was Stephen Hunt, who is still suffering with his calf problem, Ted Bishop, who has a minor knock, and David McGoldrick, who is not yet ready for a return to match action as he continues his rehab after his knee injuries.
Hungarian trialist Bálint Bajner was amongst the substitutes.
Colchester included ex-Blue Darren Ambrose, who is on trial, while Tom Eastman started and David Wright was on the bench along with Drey Wright, the son of Jermaine Wright.
Freddie Sears hit a third-minute freekick just over Gerken’s cross bar after Wordsworth had fouled Alex Gilbey just outside the box. A minute later Gilbey spectacularly volleyed high and wide after an Ambrose cross had deflected out to him.
The home side continued to have the better of the early chances, Dan Holman, a recent signing from Braintree, hitting a sixth minute strike just wide.
Anderson ought to have put the Blues in front on nine when Hyam broke quickly following a U’s corner. The midfielder fed Nouble, who crossed to the far post where a diving Anderson headed wide from close range.
Neither side particularly threatened as the game moved beyond the 20-minute mark, but with Colchester looking more of a danger than the Blues until Wordsworth flicked a Henshall cross from the left just wide.
The U’s had a golden change to go in front in the 26th minute when Ambrose crossed low from the left but neither Sears nor Dominic Vose could get a touch on the edge of the six-yard box.
Five minutes before the whistle, Henshall lashed over from distance after a clever bit of skill from Nouble had raised a rare round of applause from the large Town following behind the goal.
It had been a disappointing half from the Blues with Colchester having had the better of it overall. Both sides missed their one decent opportunity but it was the U’s - with Ambrose having sent in a couple of dangerous crosses - who had threatened more regularly with Town unable to make their greater quality show.
Town: Gerken, Hewitt, Mings, Hyam, Chambers, Berra, Anderson, Wordsworth, Murphy, Nouble, Henshall. Subs: Bialkowski, Veseli, Clarke, Smith, Parr, Taylor, Tabb, Skuse, Stewart, Bajner, Marriott, McQueen, Wyatt.
Colchester: Lewington, Gordon, Eastmond, Ambrose, Gilbey, Holman, Sears, Eastman, Clohessy, Vose, Kent. Subs: Walker, D Wright, Okuonghae, Thompson, Bonne, Olufemi, D Wright, Massey, Moncur, Szmodics, O'Donohue, Sembi-Ferris. Att: 3,519 (Town: 1,566). Referee: P Miller.