Colchester United 0 Burnley 0

Similarly, while a point at Colchester didn't have a massive impact on the Championship table, the value of all that Saturday's game encompassed to Burnley could have immeasurable benefits for the rest of the season.

In recent games, the Clarets have looked like a side ready to turn a corner after an inconceivable run of results.

But more so at Layer Road, where, after making their home ground a fortress with a 13-game unbeaten run that ended only a fortnight ago - the first 11 of those being wins - Colchester provided tough opposition.

But Burnley matched them, in all areas.

The strike duo of Ade Akinbiyi and Andy Gray looked sharper and had more bite.

A midfield of Wade Elliott, Joey Gudjonsson, James O'Connor and Kyle Lafferty were never scared to press forward, while they also put the work in defensively when necessary to aid a back line of Wayne Thomas, John McGreal, Steven Caldwell and Chris McCann that looked solid and tight.

Whereas in the midweek match against Leicester, the longer the game went on without capitalising on good spells of pressure, the more there was a fear that the Foxes might stun Burnley on the break, the Clarets grew in stature with a goalless scoreline in Essex.

Even untimely changes that twice brought shake-ups to the back line, following injuries to Thomas and McCann in either half, didn't distract Burnley from their mission.

And while it perhaps wasn't a game for the purists, there were an abundance of positives to take into next week's home game against Crystal Palace.

For example, while Danny Coyne was rarely tested, Colchester keeper Dean Gerken kept out Gudjonsson early in the second half before Akinbiyi forced him into a good save.

Surely that elusive win is in touching distance now.

Manager Steve Cotterill certainly feels so, and after the game he revealed some big decisions he had made in order to prompt a result.

One such move was to bring McCann in at left back in place of Jon Harley and his pace proved to FROM small acorns, big trees grow.

Similarly, while a point at Colchester didn't have a massive impact on the Championship table, the value of all that Saturday's game encompassed to Burnley could have immeasurable benefits for the rest of the season.

In recent games, the Clarets have looked like a side ready to turn a corner after an inconceivable run of results.

But more so at Layer Road, where, after making their home ground a fortress with a 13-game unbeaten run that ended only a fortnight ago - the first 11 of those being wins - Colchester provided tough opposition.

But Burnley matched them, in all areas.

The strike duo of Ade Akinbiyi and Andy Gray looked sharper and had more bite.

A midfield of Wade Elliott, Joey Gudjonsson, James O'Connor and Kyle Lafferty were never scared to press forward, while they also put the work in defensively when necessary to aid a back line of Wayne Thomas, John McGreal, Steven Caldwell and Chris McCann that looked solid and tight.

Whereas in the midweek match against Leicester, the longer the game went on without capitalising on good spells of pressure, the more there was a fear that the Foxes might stun Burnley on the break, the Clarets grew in stature with a goalless scoreline in Essex.

Even untimely changes that twice brought shake-ups to the back line, following injuries to Thomas and McCann in either half, didn't distract Burnley from their mission.

And while it perhaps wasn't a game for the purists, there were an abundance of positives to take into next week's home game against Crystal Palace.

For example, while Danny Coyne was rarely tested, Colchester keeper Dean Gerken kept out Gudjonsson early in the second half before Akinbiyi forced him into a good save.

Surely that elusive win is in touching distance now.

Manager Steve Cotterill certainly feels so, and after the game he revealed some big decisions he had made in order to prompt a result.

One such move was to bring McCann in at left back in place of Jon Harley and his pace proved to be an asset against the quick-footed Jamie Cureton and Richard Garcia.

But on a rare occasion that Cureton got the better of the teenager it almost created a goal as he dropped off McCann's shoulder and volleyed a cross in for Chris Iwelumo. FOrtunately, it had too much power on it and the ball sailed over his strike partner's head.

Burnley put the pressure on after Lafferty's chipped a ball forward for Gray and earned the first corner of the afternoon on 18 minutes.

Colchester made inroads again, this time down the left, but Thomas twice got his body in the way to thwart Kevin McLeod, throwing his big frame at the ball to stop the cross getting into the box.

Colchester won a corner courtesy of Thomas's second stop, from which Wayne Brown sent a volley over the bar.

Burnley got forward well from the goal kick and Gudjonsson set up a good chance for Elliott to run on to, but although the right winger got his shot on target, there wasn't enough venom in it to give goalkeeper Gerken cause for concern.

The Clarets continued to press but their flow was interrupted when Thomas pulled up with a knee problem in the process of sending a midfield pass stray just before the half-hour. He hopped off the pitch to receive treatment and quickly returned to the action but was only able to last a further nine minutes before pulling up again and leaving the field on a stretcher and being replaced by Michael Duff in a straight swap.

Thomas had found himself with some defending to do in the period that he was able to continue and saw Cureton curling a shot underneath McGreal's dive but a deflection took it wide of the left hand post.

The dangerous Garcia whipped in a centre that O'Connor headed away. Colchester kept the ball in and around the Burnley box, worked the ball out to Cureton on the right but while Iwelumo did well to meet his strike partner's cross on the volley, the thumped it wide from close range instead of increasing their combined tally to 31 so far for the season.

when Thomas broke down for a second time and was subsequently carried off, there was a fear that the untimely swap could have an unsettling effect on the the Clarets.

But the transition was made smoother with Duff being a direct replacement and Burnley were able to end the half strongly.

Elliott found Gudjonsson in space but the Icelandic midfielder hit a volley into the ground, taking the sting out of it and it bounced into Gerken's arms.

Coyne took a comfortable catch from a weak Iweulmo header as Colchester aimed to benefit from a free kick.

In the final two minutes of the half, Lafferty made sure the Clarets went into the break on the front foot, first beating two defenders before teasing the ball inside but firing wide as he cut across the ball, then the Northern Ireland international had a decent right foot drive deflected for a corner.

Burnley built a high tempo after the re-start with O'Connor, making his 100th league appearance for the Clarets, heavily involved in driving his team-mates forward. The Irishman found Gudjonsson in space with a square ball and the midifelder unleashed a fierce shot from distance, containing power and direction, but Gerken was able to get his behind it.

Gray was causing increasing problems for the Colchester defence and earned a free kick eight minutes into the second half around 22 yards out. Gudjonsson blasted the ball on target but it hit Kem Izzet flush in the face.

Kevin Watson conjured a couple of chances for Colchester in response, bending a free kick over the angle then dragging a low shot wide.

But Burnley began to become more prominent in attack and when Akinbiyi worked the ball onto his left foot on the right corner of the box, he drive the ball beyond Brown but Gerken got down at his near post to make a good save.

Gerken then managed to spare his own blushes as he fumbled Lafferty's high ball into the box but scooped it up at the second attempt.

Akinbiyi picked the ball up in the box again, in a similar position to his earlier chance, but his shot on the turn went wide of the left hand post.

Duff supplied Gray with a good throughball seven minutes later but the Scottish striker found himself well marshalled.

Elliott, who had battled through the muddy flanks was replaced by Graham Branch before Burnley were forced into their third and final change when McCann crumpled after a challenge.

Harley came on as McCann became the second Burnley player to be carried off on a stretcher that afternoon.

Colchester seeked to take advantage of the changes by applying late pressure.

Garcia went close with a header, left back Chris Barker shot over after bursting forward while Izzet sent a long range volley well wide.

Despite having had some defending to do, Burnley were the happier to see four minutes of added time indicated.

They would have been even more delighted had the referee awarded a penalty when Gray was clipped by Chris Barker.

Perhaps the Burnley striker made too much of a meal of it for the official's liking, but when you've gone over a year without a spot kick, you've got to make fouls in the 18-yard box as obvious as you can.

But although Burnley's search for a penalty continues, on this evidence, their mission for a win will soon be accomplished.