WHILE Manchester United find themselves strangely light in the striking department, one of their own continued his impressive scoring run to sustain Hull’s interest in the playoffs.

Even the top end of the Championship may be poles apart from the Premier League, but Fraizer Campbell evidently has an eye for goal and his eighth in 18 starts at least spared Hull a damaging home defeat against a Colchester side putting up an impressive fight in their attempt to avoid relegation.

Alex Ferguson considered Campbell not quite ready at Old Trafford but he could perhaps have done with the 20-year-old in recent games judging by his alertness in taking the chance that came his way to cancel out Johnnie Jackson’s opening goal.

Campbell is certainly making the most of his education on loan at Hull and for the second game running he scored an equaliser as Phil Brown’s side extended their current run to one defeat in 11 league games. However, the last three of those have been draws and the Tigers are in danger of losing momentum at a critical time.

Even the presence of Jay Jay Okocha, starting a home game for the first time since the end of September, failed to inspire. According to Brown, Hull are yet to see the best of the former Bol-ton player and despite hinting at a return to something like the top of his game, Okocha could not hurt a Colchester side that is now unbeaten in four matches.

If experience is key to promo-tion success, Hull are giving themselves every chance with their sprinkling of thirty-some-things, who, in the case of Okocha, Nicky Barmby and Henrik Pedersen, have all played international football.

The downside of such a demo-graphic, however, is a propensity to pick up injuries and having started his first league game since the end of August in midweek, Barmby lasted barely a quarter of an hour here before pulling up lame. His replacement, Dean Marney, forced Dean Gerken into a save with his first touch but Hull felt the absence of 38-year-old top-scorer Dean Windass, recovering from a minor knee operation.

He was a willing runner and showed signs of a useful understanding with Okocha, but the best early chances of a poor first half fell Colchester’s way as Jackson headed an inviting cross from Karl Duguid over the bar, while the industrious Clive Platt also nodded on to the roof of the net and saw a goalbound shot blocked by Pedersen.

Not until stoppage-time did Hull threaten when from Campbell’s neatly threaded pass, Ryan France was unable to beat the onrushing Gerken.

Not surprisingly, Brown changed both personnel and formation at half-time with Caleb Folan sent on as a second striker, but within two minutes he was chasing a losing cause as Colchester went in front thanks to Jackson’s third goal in as many games.

The former Tottenham player had scored a late winner against Preston on Tuesday night and his confidence was evident in the way he crashed home a shot from the edge of the penalty area from Scott Vernon’s lay-off. It was reward for Colchester’s efforts, and two minutes later they would have inflicted further damage had Kem Izzet, from 15 yards out and not a Hull player near him, not dragged his shot wide. And that miss proved to be pivotal as the home side levelled after 64 minutes when Okocha curled a free-kick towards Campbell, who stooped to head into the top corner.

Hull then piled on the pressure in search of a winner but Colchester remained resolute to claim another important point.

Star man: J Jackson(Colchester) Player ratings. Hull City:Myhill 6, Ricketts 7, Turner 6, Brown 6, Pedersen 6, France 6, Ashbee 7, Walton 5 (Folan ht, 5), Barmby 5 (Marney 16mins, 6), Okocha 7, Campbell 7 Myhill, Ricketts, Turner, Brown, Pedersen, France, Ashbee, Walton, Barmby, Okocha, Campbell Colchester United:Gerken 8, Ifil 6, Coyne 7, Virgo 6 (Granville ht), White 6, Duguid 6, Izzet 6, Jackson 8, McLeod 6, Platt 7, Vernon 6 Scorers: Hull:F Campbell 64 Colchester:Jackson 47 Referee:P Walton Attendance:15,664