U's goalkeeper Aidan Davison returned to action on Tuesday afternoon for his first action since the pre-season friendlies.

The experienced shot stopper had not appeared between the sticks since the early weeks of the season build-up, having picked up a back injury.

However, he completed a useful forty-five minutes on Tuesday against Grays Athletic as the U's reserves started their Pontins Combination season with a 0-0 draw.

It will have been a boost to watching manager Geraint Williams ahead of the trip to Preston, with Dean Gerken suspended for the trip to Deepdale.

The U's had a number of good chances to secure victory in the game against the non-leaguers, but were left with only a share of the spoils.

In the first half, captain John White put himself in a number of dangerous positions in the attacking third, both from set pieces and with efforts from outside the box in the early stages.

But it was Adam Virgo who had the first chance, his attempted loft over the goalkeeper not quite getting enough elevation to test the Grays shot stopper.

Three minutes later, White had two chances in quick succession as he strode forward from right back before, on the quarter hour mark, he volleyed wide at the far post when a corner went right across the face of goal.

Tandon then got caught on the ball for Grays as a sliding Guttridge challenge saw him slide in Virgo.

The U's loanee had the ball in the back of the net, but the flag had long been up to catch the striker offside.

The visitors cleared one corner off the line as Tom Devaux headed goalwards, but they were unable to find a path to goal as Day - who was later to leave the field with a head wound - cleared off the line.

Grays then had a good chance to go in front just before the half hour mark.

A fine cross from Marshall found McAllister at the near post, but he could only head the ball on its way, rather than towards goal as he steamed in towards Davison's goal.

It was a similar story in the second half as Anthony Wordsworth headed over from close range, but the visitors also had chances of their own - only to be denied by the impressive Jack Smelt.

Twice in quick succession he stormed off his line to deny a Grays man, and he made a good save ten minutes after the restart when Day drilled in a low free kick which skipped up off the wet surface.

Granville was pushing forwards more for the U's in the second half, but could only watch as Webb acrobatically headed the ball just wide from one of the left back's crosses.

Guttridge then came close from yet another corner, half volleying just wide as he met the blal on the edge of the box.

The game finished with young Jimmy Pirie coming on for the last few minutes and he almost made an immediate impression as he ran onto Wordsworth's slide rule pass - only to be denied by the onrushing Grays keeper.

U's: Davison (Smelt 46), White, Devaux, Hammond, Granville, Olusanya (Pirie 88), Wordsworth, Guttridge, Oakley, Webb, Virgo