Southampton moved another point closer to zero as they continued their unbeaten league run at St. Mary's with a 0-0 draw against 10-man Colchester United...

Saints: Davis, Thomas, Perry (Schneiderlin, 68), Trotman, Harding, Mellis (Mills, 46), Hammond, James, Lallana, Paterson (Thomson, 61), Lambert. Subs: Bialkowski, Wotton, Gobern, Lancashire,

Colchester: Williams, Tierney, Baldwin (Heath, 45), Okuonghae, White, Wordsworth, O'Toole, Izzet, Vincent, Lisbie, Platt (Vernon, 78). Subs: Cousins, Maybury, Fox, Elito, Hackney.

Attendance: 17,070 (Including 545 away)

Saints fans were given their first glimpse of new signing Papa Waigo N'Diaye, as the Senegalese striker was introduced to the crowd before kick-off.

The 25-year old, dressed in suit trousers and a smart shirt, gave a quick display of keepy-ups in front of the dug-outs before dashing across to the Northam stand to give his new No. 9 shirt to one lucky fan.

On the way back towards the tunnel he gave a brief rendition of his infamous goal scoring celebration, but Saints fans will have to wait until the next match at least to see Papa in full swing.

With Marek Saganowski away on international duty with Poland, Alan Pardew was forced to make one change to his side and began with Matthew Paterson up-front, with Joseph Mills back on the bench after hamstring trouble.

Both sides took a while to get into their stride, but the first decent opening fell Saints' way as Mellis held the ball up well to the right of goal.

The Chelsea loanee suceeded in picking out Lambert inside the area, with 12 minutes gone, but the ball came off the No. 7's body and flew wide of the left hand post under pressure from Pat Baldwin.

Lambert then turned supplier five minutes later, as he headed a fast ball forward for Paterson to stab towards goal with a kung-fu-esque leap from two yards out.

With the 'keeper beaten, the ball appeared to cross the line, but was hooked clear at the last second by U's centre-back Marcus Okuonghae and out for a corner kick.

Jacob Mellis' picked up the game's first booking just past the half hour mark for a challenge on Marc Tierney, but by this stage neither side appeared overly keen to seize the initiative.

The visitors were reduced to ten men in the 35th minute when Kemal Izzet put in a dangerous tackle on Lallana by the right touchline.

The diminutive midfielder was immediately given his marching orders by referee Graham Scott, but Lallana was quickly back on his feet unharmed.

Bouyed by their one man advantage, Saints pressed forward once again as Lloyd James found Lambert with a long diagonal crossfield pass that was headed into Paterson's path.

He then tried a shot from the edge of the box, but the ball rose sharply over Ben William's bar and into the Northam crowd behind the goal.

Kevin Lisbie then followed Mellis and Izzet into the book with three minutes of the half left to play, but there was still more drama as the opening 45 minutes drew to a close.

A miscued clearance from Dan Harding gave Ashley Vincent a chance to shoot, and the U's man unleashed a strong shot that rebounded off the middle of the Saints bar with Davis beaten.

Two minutes of stoppage were added on by the fourth official and Saints created two further half chances before play was held up again due to a serious injury to Pat Baldwin.

The Colchester captain was eventually stretchered from the field and replaced by Matt Heath, with Lisbie almost getting in on goal with the final kick of the half.

Half-Time: Southampton 0-0 Colchester United

Saints made the only switch at the interval with Mills replacing Mellis, but the hosts quickly picked up the next booking as James was penalised for a challenge on Kevin Lisbie.

Pardew has bemoaned his lack of left-sided options in the absence of Mills and Lee Holmes, and Mills showed why in the 49th minute as he skilfully ran the ball forward and slipped it through to Paterson, only for the linesman to raise his flag late on.

Mills also found himself in the book on the hour mark for a challenge on White, just before Pardew brought on Jake Thomson in place of Matt Paterson.

With a fresh approach clearly needed, Pardew also introduced Schneiderlin for Chris Perry on 68 minutes and a flurry of quick corners added spice to a half that had otherwise offered little in the way of entertainment so far.

First, Neal Trotman almost got his head to a high ball at the far post after good work from Lallana, and the resulting flag kick picked out Hammond whose shot was also deflected behind.

At the next attempt the ball hung agonisingly in the air, with Jake Thomson well placed, but the second half substitute was unable to provide the touch needed to turn it home.

With Aidy Boothroyd's first game as U's boss heading for a goalless draw, the former Watford man shook up his own forward line, switching Platt for Scott Vernon in the 78th minute.

Saints were still aiming to change that scoreline though, and went close on 84 minutes as Schneiderlin tested the 'keeper with a low 25-yard drive.

Mills and Thomson then played a one-two inside the D and the former got off a shot, but it lacked the power to sneak past Williams.

Dean Hammond almost gave his old side something to remember him by at the start of four minutes of stoppage time with a dipping 25-yard volley that landed on the roof of the net.

With time running out, Saints went close again as a James cross to the near post was rescued and headed across the face of goal by Mills, but deflected behind before Lambert could reach it.

Ashley Vincent then picked up the game's final booking as Saints continued to pepper the U's box, but things ended all square once again at St. Mary's.

Full-Time: Southampton 0-0 Colchester United