Bristol Rovers 0 Colchester United 0. Bristol Rovers failed to make their chances count as they were held to a goalless draw by resurgent Colchester United at the Memorial Stadium.

In a game of relatively few clear openings, the Pirates carved out decent opportunities to score in each half.

But Jo Kuffour fired his angled attempt wide just 22 seconds into the game after latching onto a cross from Jeff Hughes.

Then, after 77 minutes, Rickie Lambert dispossessed Alan Maybury but curled his attempt just wide of the far post – and the onrushing Craig Hinton.

The visitors, who arrived in good form, suffered an early blow when they lost former Bristol City striker Steven Gillespie through injury after six minutes.

Rovers threatened from a couple of Stuart Campbell corners, Lambert seeing a shot blocked before heading another delivery wide.

In a first half of few clear chances, the Us thought they had broken the deadlock just before the break. But substitute Scott Vernon was ruled offside as he steered home Maybury's cross form the right.

Rovers were lucky Paul Reid didn't make better contact with a Mark Yeates cross early in the second half, then Lambert headed wide from 10 yards after another Campbell corner.

Although the home side managed to put together a few spells of pressure in the second period, they still needed keeper Steve Phillips to thwart Yeates with a smothering low stop.

The Pirates were still pushing for a winner in stoppage time, but when Kuffour cut the ball back from a tight angle there was nobody there to meet it.

The result stretched Rovers' unbeaten run to three games, but they will be looking to get back on the victory trail at home to Cheltenham on Tuesday.

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, Lescott, Elliott, Hinton, Ryan Green, Lines, Campbell, Disley, Hughes, Kuffour, Lambert. Subs: Jacobson, Duffy, Pipe, Anthony, Hunt.

Colchester: Walker, Tierney, Reid, Baldwin, Maybury, Perkins, Hammond, Izzet, Yeates, Gillespie, Platt. Subs: Cousins, White, Vernon, Gobern, Wordsworth.

Referee: Oliver Langford (W Midlands)