Colchester United's home campaign ended with an uninspiring and unevenful 0-0 draw against Swindon Town, at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Both teams struggled to make chances of any note and neither goalkeeper was seriously tested, in front of a crowd of 3,687.

U’s head coach John McGreal made three changes to his side for the game against the Robins.

Goalkeeper Dillon Barnes was handed a first-team start for the first time since November 2016 in place of Sam Walker, who missed his first league game in nearly two years for the U’s.

Courtney Senior and Frankie Kent also earned recalls to the Colchester side in place of Olamide Shodipo and Tom Eastman, while under-23 youngsters Tariq Issa and Ryan Gondoh.

Tom Lapslie was fit again after a hamstring injury and was also on the bench, along with leading scoring Sammie Szmodics.

Swindon started brightly and Matty Taylor’s deflected free-kick sailed straight into the arms of Barnes.

Scotty Twine then ran towards the Colchester goal but curled a shot well over the bar for the visitors, before the hosts began to warm to the task.

Midway through the first half, Drey Wright was sent clear on the right by Mikael Mandron but his first time cross-come-shot flew wide of the far post.

And soon after, Mandron hooked a first-time shot wide from Ben Stevenson’s corner before minutes later Sean Murray’s 25-yard low effort easily gathered by Swindon keeper Stuart Moore.

Keshi Anderson’s mazy run was ended by a challenge in the area prompting unsuccessful penalty appeals from the visitors.

But Colchester finished the first half strongly; Courtney Senior turned and fired a shot over the bar after Murray had initially failed to capitalise on Mandron’s pass in the area.

And after defender Rollin Menayese had missed a good chance for Swindon when he was unable to connect with his header in a good position after Marc Richards had headed Taylor’s corner back across goal, Colchester came the closest they had come all half.

Wright’s fine goalbound effort from the edge of the area was pushed away by the diving Moore for a corner, as the sides went in goal-less at the break.

The second half started in quiet fashion for both sides but Colchester went close just before the hour when Wright drove a fierce cross-shot just wide of the far post.

Colchester made a double change at the midway point of the second half, with Ryan Gondoh on for his U's debut in place of Wright and Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe replacing Mandron.

Colchester claimed for a penalty with 12 minutes remaining when Ogedi-Uzokwe went down under Ryan McGivern’s challenge in the area but referee Craig Hicks waved away their claims.

But neither side was able to make a breakthrough and the points were shared.