CITY will head into the month of October still without a league win after drawing 1-1 with Colchester United at Ashton Gate on Saturday.

Once again, the performance was decent enough and I felt we were the better side over 90 minutes. Our Achilles’ Heel of conceding sloppy goals again reared its ugly head as Colchester took the lead on the half-hour mark through a Matthew Taylor header.

This put a different complexion on the game and the visitors were able to sit back and defend their lead. Whilst City were then able to enjoy lots of possession, it was on and around the halfway line with Colchester deploying two banks of four players defending their goal.

We created plenty of chances, as the stat of 23 shots to their 8 shows, however in truth many were half chances as we struggled to break them down. Shrewsbury adopted a similar tactic a few weeks ago and we are going to have to be more savvy and start quicker if we are to beat teams like this at home.

It also didn’t help that our most creative player – Emmanuel-Thomas – had a very poor game. He has been superb in some games this season but was off-form on Saturday.

Nevertheless, the introduction of Harewood early in the second period improved things for us and Baldock eventually got an opening in the 75th minute and made to mistake with the equaliser from 8 yards.

Both teams had late chances to win it but at the final whistle it was City’s players who looked the more disappointed. Flint in particular looked gutted as he sunk to his knees.

City will have to try and take the positives to Vale Park this Saturday where they face Port Vale (3pm). The Valiants are currently on a good run of form - winning 3 out of their last 4 league games – with their only defeat coming at league leaders Leyton Orient. Prolific striker Tom Pope is their main danger-man to look out for. It’s a tough game for City but that first league win has to come sooner rather than later, surely?