Johnnie Jackson was the U's hero once again as he smashed in a brilliant goal to earn his side a draw at Hull City.

The midfielder followed up his goal against Preston with an even better finish this time around to put the U's in front, but Frazier Campbell pulled the home team level later in the second half.

The point collected lifts the U's one place up the table to 22nd, just a point from safety, as they extend their recent run to just one defeat in 2008.

Boss Geraint Williams had made just one change from the win over Preston, as Scott Vernon was given the first start of his second spell at the expense of Teddy Sheringham.

However, it was the home team that started on the front foot, with Frazier Campbell causing plenty of problems and Jay Jay Okocha pulling the strings.

A series of home corners were repelled by the U's, who then began to show their hand as they got to the pace of the game, with their first chance arriving on seven minutes.

A free kick forwrd fell to the feet of Karl Duguid who, on the turn, struck a looping left footed shot that just spun wide of goal with Boaz Myhill scrambling across.

Three minutes later and great play by Vernon sent Duguid away, whose first time ball into the box found Johnnie Jackson, with his headed effort fizzing inches over the bar.

The home side were forced into a change on the quarter hour mark as Dean Marney came on for Nicky Barmby, whose first touch was to force the first real save of the game out of Dean Gerken.

The U's were enjoying good spells of possession though, as they defended stoutly and hit their opponents quickly on the counter attack.

Twelve minutes before half time and they again went close.

Vernon tracked down a McLeod cross and backheeled it into the path of Izzet, whose scooped cross found the arching Platt, who could only help the ball onto the roof of the net.

Gerken had enjoyed a quiet first half and, after Phil Ifil spurned a good chance to create danger with a cross from the byline, the home team broke down the other end to test the U's keeper.

For the first time in the game, France escaped the attentions of the U's defence and, striding onto an Okocha through ball, forced a fine save out of Gerken who blocked with his legs.

That save proved crucial when the visitors took the lead 90 seconds after the restart.

The ball was helped towards the edge of the box and Vernon - who displayed superb link-up play all afternoon - dropped the ball into the path of the onrushing Jackson.

If his goal on Tuesday was good, this was even better, as he strode onto it and walloped a fierce shot past the despairing dive of Myhill, and in off the woodwork as it careered into the net.

The home team were shell shocked by the U's taking the lead but were almost gifted an equaliser forty seconds later.

The ball was crossed into the Colchester area and, trying to help the ball around the post, Coyne almost buried the ball into the back of the net with a header from five yards out - Gerken pulling off a fantastic save.

51 minutes on the clock and the U's then had a fantastic chance to extent their advantage. Vernon again the master of the link-up play, laying it to Izzet who, in space in the box, pulled his shot just inches wide of the far post.

The chances kept coming and after McLeod did well to set up a flicked shot from Duguid, the home side went down the other end and grabbed an equaliser midway through the half.

Okocha was the set-piece king and, after Ricketts had dragged a man out of position with a dummy run, Campbell stepped into the space to power a header from distance into the top corner.

The teams were both looking for a maximum haul and it was the U's to go close next as a clever ball into the box found Duguid rushing in and he tried to help it on its way with the outside of his boot, with Myhill relieved to see it go wide.

At the other end, it seemed the golden chance had arrived as the path to goal opened up for both Campbell and substitute Folan, but both contrived to get in each others way and the chance was gone as soon as it had come.

The drama was not over though - Duguid just missed a header at the far post before the home team again created danger.

The ball looked like it might have gone out of play before it was cut back into the path of Brown, who against his former side, struck in a fine shot that Gerken did superbly well to turn away from danger.

The winning goal proved elusive, but the U's extended their run of form to just one defeat in 2008 and they are now a point from safety and looking up, rather than down.