FULL REPORT: Lacklustre Swindon Town secure a point at Colchester as winless streak extends to eight

Hopes at the start of the season – and even as recently as a month ago – were high that a play-off place was still very much achievable come the end of the campaign.

However, the wheels have fallen off in spectacular fashion since then and Town’s winless run extended to an eighth game at the Colchester Community Stadium following a dour goalless draw.

Town’s failure to earn a place in the play-offs was confirmed last weekend in a 1-0 defeat at home to Grimsby Town, leaving them with little to play for but pride over the final two matches.

The same fate had also befallen Colchester, whose slim hopes of a top-finish were galvanised by a strong run over Easter only to be ended by three successive defeats since then.

And so two teams shot of confidence and morale played out a predictably flat spectacle, devoid of true quality and genuine chances.

If the Town players had failed to raise their game for the preceding seven crucial fixtures when their promotion hopes remained firmly on the line, it is hard to imagine how they could do it on a damp and drab afternoon in Essex where the result really did not matter.

Perhaps the only person for whom the outcome bared significance was boss Phil Brown, and he admirably acknowledged his side’s lacklustre effort – particularly in the first half – by apologising to the smattering of travelling supporters post-match.

However, it is perhaps another blow to his aspirations of staying on as Swindon manager next season as his tenure has now yielded just eight points from nine matches.

Town are without a win since Brown’s first match in charge away at Cambridge United way back on March 17.

The team now have just one opportunity left to help the former Premier League manager add to that tally before his contract expires after next Saturday’s season finale at home to champions Accrington Stanley.

Brown made sweeping changes to the side that started that painful defeat at home to Grimsby last weekend, with five alterations to the XI in total.

Stuart Moore returned in goal to take the place of Reice Charles-Cook, who was dropped from the squad altogether, while Rollin Menayese reclaimed a spot in the heart of defence after being suspended a week ago, with youngster Joe Romanski also dropping out of the 18.

Timi Elsnik and Ollie Banks came into midfield, which prompted Matt Taylor to move into defence at left-back, as Amine Linganzi and Chris Hussey dropped to the bench, while Scott Twine replaced Paul Mullin up front.

Town were the first to threaten and Taylor would have been licking his lips when Twine was chopped down by Luke Prosser 30 yards from goal. The left-back lined up the free-kick and although it deflected off the wall, home keeper Dillon Barnes was able to make a comfortable save.

Colchester then enjoyed a steady spell of possession without really creating much, and they were then almost caught on the counter when Menayese picked out the run of Kyle Knoyle but Marc Richards could not quite bring down his dangerous cross from the right, with the drifting ball then eluding everyone else in the box.

A sturdy challenge from Elsnik in midfield then released Twine, but after bursting forward 20 yards, he shot well over the top from the edge of the box.

Almost 25 minutes had passed before the first real moment of alarm in the Swindon box as Mikael Mandron was afforded too much space to meet a Ben Stevenson corner from right, but he could not direct his effort goalwards.

Visiting keeper Stuart Moore was called into meaningful action for the first time after half-an-hour when former Town midfielder Sean Murray cut in from the left and left fly from 25 yards, although the save was a comfortable one.

Referee Craig Hicks then waved away Town’s appeals for a penalty after Keshi Anderson went down in the United box, before the hosts had a good chance themselves almost immediately afterwards when Ryan McGivern challenged Murray in the box and the ball broke to Courtney Senior, but he blazed over the top.

A Taylor corner had the home defence worried as the half neared its conclusion, with Richards heading the deep cross across goal but Murray was able to clear just as Menayese looked to pounce.

It took until two minutes before the interval for the first opportunity of genuine quality to arrive when Drey Wright cut in from the right, into the Town box and cracked an effort goalwards, but Moore made a superb save to tip it around the post.

Colchester went close again from the ensuing corner, but Frankie Kent headed Senior’s cross over the bar as the teams headed back to the changing rooms with the stalemate still intact.

United were on the front foot again after the restart and a good run from Wright had the Town defence back-pedalling until Taylor got in a crisp challenge to deny him a clean shot.

That prompted Brown into his first change of the match and the second half was barely five minutes old when Kaiyne Woolery was sent into the fray in place of Elsnik.

The hosts continued to push forwards and Ryan Jackson looked to pick out Mandron in the box with a cross from the right, but he was just squeezed out for space by McGivern, before Wright blazed a shot across the face of the Town goal and narrowly wide.

Town finally strung a decent phase of play together just before the hour mark, which resulted in Anderson being upended just outside the box, but Taylor could not keep the subsequent free-kick the right side of the crossbar.

Donal McDermott was sent on soon afterwards at the expense of Twine and his arrival, along with Woolery’s before it, added more impetus to Swindon’s play, although they remained unable to fashion out clear-cut chances.

Just as the visitors had done in the first half, the United players were appealing for a penalty with 15 minutes to go when substitute Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe went down in the box following a challenge from McGivern, but once again referee Hicks was not interested.

Brown’s final roll of the dice in search of a winning goal was to replace Anderson with Hussey with five minutes to play, but again the pattern of play remained largely uninspiring.

Colchester held the initiative as the match headed tamely towards its conclusion and they were awarded a succession of free-kicks around the edge of the Swindon box.

But the visiting defence held firm to at least travel back to Wiltshire with a point to show for their efforts.