Brentford ended their first season in the Nationwide second division the way they started -- with a goalless draw.

The Bees, without a win in 13 games, were held by fellow mid-table side Colchester at Griffin Park.

Manager Ron Noades, planning for next season, saw his side nearly fall behind with the only chance of the game when Lomana Tresor Lua-Lua struck the post with a superbly executed chip from 20-yards.

Lua-Lua is just the sort of striker Brentford need to cure their goalscoring problems. It is a situation which has seen only nine goals scored in the last 17 league games. Noades was pleased with the way that the team played and admitted that it was always likely to finish scoreless.

He said: "It was a case of them not putting in the effort and having the required appetite because it was an end of season game.

"The performance was better in the second half, but I always thought the game was likely to finish 0-0." Having been promoted from the third division last term Bees, finished the season in 17th place and, according to the Brentford boss, consolidation was the main aim.

Noades added: "We have progressed well in our practices. If we can add two players to the squad in the summer then we will get stronger. All the side are young and have good futures in the game. And since we started the season I think the squad has got stronger."

But for goalkeeper Andy Woodman the season has ended at the right time as the former Northampton keeper was admitted to hospital on a drip suffering from gastric meningitis.