Ryan Jackson delivered a great performance to help Colchester United kick-off the new League Two season with a hard-earned point at Notts County – just hours after witnessing the birth of his baby girl.

The U’s right-back saw his second child Aria born on Friday night, before dashing to Meadow Lane the following morning after only a few hours sleep to play his part in his side’s creditable 0-0 draw against the much-fancied Magpies.

Jackson told the Daily Gazette: “It’s been an exciting 24 hours for me and it’s all been a bit of a blur!

“The main thing was that the baby was healthy and then secondly, that I could make it up in time for the game.

“I knew that I could always come up in the morning so it was just about beating the traffic and getting up (to Nottingham).

“It wasn’t the best pre-match preparation, to be fair!

“I was having dinner at 10pm back in London and I drove up to Nottingham, on the morning of the game.

“I’m just happy that I did the boys and myself proud and we got a good point.”

Colchester were well worth their point at Notts County, ending a run of eight successive defeats at the venue.

“It was a good point to gain,” said Jackson, who impressed at right wing-back for the U’s.

“I thought that we were the better team and as a new group, it was something we can build from and go again.

“We’re all winners and we were disappointed that we couldn’t get the three points but I think if you take the positives out of it, we played really well and if we play like that in games to come we’ll definitely pick up loads of points, this season.

“We’ve got a lot of togetherness in the squad this year and we’ll just keep building on it.”

Jackson was unfortunate not to bag a winner for Colchester in the second half after bursting through on goal but hitting a tame shot straight at Notts County keeper, Ross Fitzsimons.

He added: “I’ve always said I love getting forward, getting crosses in the box and trying to get on the scoresheet myself.

“I was unlucky not to score after having two chances but I’m sure if I keep practising, they’ll go in.”