Bradford City boss Derek Adams on starting Sam Hornby and dropping Richard O'Donnell

Hornby, whose previous league start for City arrived in May, replaced O'Donnell in the starting line-up and kept a clean sheet in the goalless stalemate with the U's.

On the decision to make a change, Adams said: "I made the change because I'd given Richard the number one shirt and he has been in the goal for the majority of the season and I felt that I was a number two keeper, then would I feel I was due an opportunity?

"I think Richard would think along those lines as well if he was a number two and would have be due an opportunity and that's why I gave Sam an opportunity and he made two good saves in the second half to help us."

Hornby's sound display was one of the main substantives on the night for City, who faded after an impressive and dominant first half to record their fifth league draw in six outings.

Once again, Bradford lacked a clinical edge in front of goal on an evening when they were without top-scorer Andy Cook and Charles Vernam.

Adams, whose mid-table side welcome Sutton United at the weekend, added: "We played very well in the first half. I think we dominated large spells in the game and Colchester didn't really lay a glove on us and we created some really good openings and they had to make a change as we were so dominant in that period of the game.

"We have got to obviously score goals in that spell because you know as the game goes on, the opposition always gets some time.

"But they did not really have a lot of chances, just two chances of our doing.

"Other that that, we have had the best opportunities in the game.

"It is the way the season has gone. Unfortunately for us, we have not been clinical enough to finish off the chances and we don't get a break at times."