It wasn't pretty, but in the end it was worth a point.

And if Colchester United go on to avoid relegation from the Second Division in a few weeks' time - which I predict they will do with plenty to spare - then this result will be looked upon as one of the most important of the season.

Disappointing, frustrating, generally low key, even boring at times, this game against relegation-haunted Blackpool tested the U's fans nerves and patience to the limit.

But every one of the Layer Road critics who ridiculed manager Steve Whitton's tactics should take a moment out to remember just how far he has brought their club since the dark days of the Mick Wadsworth era.

In the bottom two last October and favourites to be the First club to drop through the relegation trapdoor, the U's were seemingly without a prayer - their condition was critical.

But with admirable backing and support from his players and the board of directors Whitton has, against all the odds, guided the team to almost certain safety, and just a few weeks ago even had them hovering on the halfway mark in the table.

By contrast, Blackpool - one-time FA Cup winners, once a major force in the old First Division and historically a far bigger club than Colchester - have stood still this season.

When the U's were dredging the foot of the table five months ago the Tangerines were scraping the bottom alongside them.

They're doing exactly the same today, only now alongside Scunthorpe and Cardiff, just above Chesterfield.

Games such as this are destined not to be pretty - there's far too much at stake.

Blackpool, now without a win in their last seven games, are desperate for any scraps they can get, while the U's, who gave a League debut to Coventry City loanee defender Barry Ferguson in place of Efe Sodje - away on World Cup qualifying duty with Nigeria - appear unable to nail down once and for all their Division Two status for another season.

The U's couldn't have got away to a more explosive start as livewire Karl Duguid had the ball in the net before the official kick-off time of three o'clock.

It was without doubt the quickest goal of the season at Layer Road and Duguid caught the Blackpool players cold.

Referee Matt Messias whistled the game off a minute early and with just 59 seconds gone, Duguid latched on to a defence-splitting pass from Joe Dunne before lobbing a great goal over visiting keeper Phil Barnes.

It was the perfect start, exactly what Whitton wanted to urge his players on to better things.

Blackpool were seldom in contention as the U's went on to dominate the opening half. It only seemed a matter of time before they extended their lead.

Striker Tony Lock looked all the way a winner when latching on to a great Steve McGavin crossfield pass on 20 minutes, but former Aston Villa defender Tommy Jaszczun put in a timely challenge as Lock was about to get in a shot.

Former England international David Bardsley had a dangerous free-kick blocked in a rare Blackpool attack and their best chance of the half came on the stroke of half-time as a back header from Clarke Carlisle looped over home keeper Simon Brown before bouncing to safety across the face of goal.

Little went right for Blackpool as they battled to come to terms with the U's first half superiority, but it was a different story after the break following the half-time introduction of former Everton and Blackburn striker Mike Newell.

Newell's arrival sparked new life into the Tangerines and as the U's struggled to get to grips with the visitors' new tactics, Blackpool's impressive Manchester United loanee Richard Wellens and veteran former Everton and Arsenal midfielder Kevin Richardson were both thwarted by great full-length saves by Brown.

An equaliser simply had to come - and it did on 66 minutes. Jaszczun flung a cross into the U's box where Blackburn loanee James Thomas sent a diving header past Brown who pushed the ball on to a post but couldn't keep it out.

The U's were at sixes and sevens as the Tangerines went in search of a winner and Brown reacted alertly again to hold an angled shot from Newell at full-length.

But the U's did turn the tables in the final few minutes and leading scorer McGavin came within an ace of snatching a winner as the game moved into injury time.

But the U's fans were left to file out of the ground confounded after once more watching their heroes fail to beat another of the bottom teams.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.