The U’s, now without a win in seven league games, were missing a host of players due to injury and could not find a way past Grecians goalkeeper Jack Bycroft.

The nearest either side came to breaking the deadlock was when Jack Tucker’s close-range strike clattered the underside of the crossbar soon after half-time, while Oscar Thorn, Beryly Lubala and Moses Sesay also went close for Colchester.

Cowley said: “We’re proud of the efforts of the boys, this week. With the amount that’s gone against us with lots of injuries, it would be easy for us to feel sorry for ourselves.

“All I’ve seen is a group that worked really hard, really committed to their training and prepared really diligently and then tried as hard as they could in the game.

“I thought we created the game’s best chances and we’re disappointed with the goal that got disallowed – you’re guessing, because you can’t tell so I don’t know how he makes that decision.

“Jack Tucker hits the woodwork, Oscar [Thorn] has a chance, we have a couple of chances with Moses [Sesay].

“Where we are with injuries and with one home game in five, we need one of those to go in.

“But a clean sheet is a positive and we gave them very little. In the moment we’re in, we have to try to see the positives.”

Exeter were rarely seen as an attacking force, although Josh Gordon was denied by Colchester keeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala early on.

Nevertheless, the Grecians extended their unbeaten league run to three matches with a hard-earned away draw.

Boss Matt Taylor said: “It was a well-earned point and we were defensively solid and sound. We kept a good attacking team at arm’s length.

“I think there was a difference in terms of physical profiles on the pitch. They’ve got some fantastic bodies and fantastic physical attributes and I thought that tested us all afternoon.

“We’ve defended our goal pretty well throughout. Our keeper has made one save and there’s been a ricochet scramble.

“The pressure the opposition put us under – full respect and full credit to them – has turned us into an ineffective team with the ball and we didn’t have the attacking output all afternoon.

“But if your attacking output is not there, make sure you don’t lose the game and I’m immensely proud of the effort the players have put in.

“There’s a balance in there; we don’t want to take anything from our defensive record but we want to add a lot more in terms of attack.”