City's first ever meeting with Colchester United ended in a goalless draw at the Walkers Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

In a game of very few clear-cut chances, only James Wesolowski, Chris O'Grady and substitute Josh Low came close for the hosts with both defences standing firm.

Conrad Logan marked his first league start in a City shirt with a clean sheet - the Foxes' third of the Championship campaign.

But it was at the other end that Rob Kelly's men failed to make an impact against last season's League One runners-up and as a result the points were shared.

City were quick out of the blocks and were the first to register a shot on goal inside four minutes when O'Grady cut in from the left, before firing his effort just wide.

Matty Fryatt saw his effort blocked for a corner a minute later then from the resulting corner Nils-Eric Johansson headed straight at Aidan Davison from Darren Kenton's lofted cross.

The Foxes should have taken the lead on 11 minutes after Wesolowski had been brought down by U's captain Karl Duguid.

Levi Porter's free-kick look destined for the head of an unmarked Paddy McCarthy, but Fryatt was first to the ball and glanced his effort just wide of the left-hand upright.

City had appeals for a penalty turned down in the 15th minute after O'Grady had gone to ground under a challenge inside the penalty area.

But referee Clive Oliver waved away the hosts' protests.

At the other end, Jamie Cureton fired over after beating the offside trap before Johansson's free-header from Porter's corner went wide.

Logan ushered Greg Halford's free-kick out for a goal-kick on 21 minutes.

Porter, arriving at the back post, just failed to connect with O'Grady's cross on the turn two minutes later.

A late flag from the assistant referee in the 26th minute halted Fryatt in his tracks then O'Grady shot inches wide after Stephen Hughes had won an aerial challenge.

Wesololowski tested Davison from distance on 32 minutes but the United keeper was equal to the challenge.

Davison got down well to palm away O'Grady's low drive across the face of goal seven minutes later.

As the first half reached its conclusion, Logan saved comfortably from Duguid before Fryatt and O'Grady got in each other's away following a Hughes corner on the right.

And that was the last action of the half, as the two sides went into the break all-square at 0-0.

Colchester carved out two corners at the start of the second half which came to nothing before Duguid fired his first-time shot across the face of goal with Chris Iwelumo ready to pounce.

The hosts made their first change on 57 minutes when Hughes made way for Josh Low before Richard Stearman replaced Kenton five minutes later as the Foxes looked for an opener.

Logan got down well to his right to deny Duguid in the 66th minute then Iain Hume came on for O'Grady soon after.

Hesitancy in the U's' defence gave Low a clear sight of goal but he could not keep his header down and the ball looped over the bar.

Hume was immediately in the thick of the action when he connected with Low's cross from the right, but Davison gathered.

Chris Barker was cautioned for a late lunge on Stearman in the 73rd minute then Logan thwarted Cureton at the other end.

Stearman was in the thick of the action at the other end two minutes later when he was forced to head over his own bar from Cureton's cross.

United made their first change on 79 minutes when John White came on for Barker.

An on-side Hume was only an inch away from connecting with Johansson's long ball forward in the 81st minute, but the onrushing Davison just beat him to the ball and hacked it away to safety.

The visitors had their own appeals for a penalty waved away after Iwelumo and Gareth McAuley tangled in penalty area.

Porter was hacked down by Kemal Izzet - brother of former Fox Muzzy - in stoppage time but from the resulting free-kick McCarthy just failed to get a clean connection on Low's cross and the points were shared.

City: Logan, Kenton (Stearman 62), McAuley, McCarthy ©, Johansson, Hughes (Low 57), Wesolowski, Johnson, Porter, O'Grady (Hume 67), Fryatt. Subs not used: Henderson, Tiatto.

United: Davison, Halford, Baldwin, Brown, Barker (White 79), Garcia, Watson, Izzet, Duguid ©, Cureton, Iwelumo. Subs not used: Jackson, Gerken, Guy, McLeod.

Yellow Cards

City: None

United: Barker (73)

Referee: Clive Oliver (Northumberland)

Attendance: 22,449