Reading Women missed the opportunity to get within a point of league leaders Barnet by scrambling a 1-1 draw at home to Colchester on Sunday.
After a minute's silence in honour of Remembrance Day, it was Colchester who started the stronger, but Reading soon got into their stride.
Sahara Osborne-Ricketts won a free kick 40 yards out in a central position. Natasha Caswell stepped up and almost surprised the Colchester keeper who made a smart catch from a shot that dipped just under the bar.
Royals wingers Melissa Fletcher and Francesca Kirby started to have an effect on the game. One Fletcher cross was only partially blocked and the ball fell to striker Danielle Puddefoot whose shot low to the Colchester keeper's right was well saved.
After 28 minutes Reading's pressure forced the ball into the back of the net when Amy Shaw met a corner with a delightful chip over the Colchester keeper. However, the referee saw a foul on the keeper and ruled out the goal to Reading's disappointment.
Frank Rodriguez's girls were now in command; Osborne-Ricketts and Emma Pearmine going close whil restrictiing Colchester to long hopeful balls up the middle which centre-back pair Amy Shaw and Captain Kelly Chambers easily had the pace to deal with.
Reading had the ball in the Colchester net for a second time when Puddefoot pounced on a beautiful through ball from Kirby, but she was adjudged offside and the game remained goalless at the break.
After the interval, Colchester changed formation and personnel and the tide turned in the visitors' favour. Michelle Beazley kept a deflected effort out and watch a header from the resulting corner sail over her bar.
But Colchester no.7 was making life difficult for the Royals defence with her pace and direct runs - in one attack she picked up the ball in her own half, ran two thirds the length of the pitch before forcing a smart save from Beazley low to her right.
Sadly another of Beazley's saved efforts was not properly cleared and, with 23 minutes to go, the loose ball was chipped over the head of the stranded Reading stopper by Laken Duchar-Clark to put Colchester in front.
As has happened on a number of occasions before this season, this spurred Reading into even greater efforts and their chances started to come even more often.
Fletcher volleyed wide from the edge of the box, Kayleigh Hines' 40 yard effort arrowed just over the crossbar, no-one could force home Pearmine's tantalising free kick and both Caswell and Hines volleyed and half-volleyed just wide from similar spots on the edge of the area.
Georgia Walters was introduced on the left wing and she almost found an equaliser - Kirby's run and cross from the right found Puddefoot in the middle who drew the last defender and put Walters clear through on the left, only for the Colchester keeper to save the left-footed drive well with her legs.
Colchester were threatening to add another on the break and only some brave defending from skipper Chambers - who had to go off injured late on as a result - kept the Royals in the game.
Rodriguez left just three at the back as they pressed for a leveller and it worked. In the 86th minute, Caswell picked it up in midfield and threaded an excellent through ball into Puddefoot's run. She glided between the Colchester centre backs and dispatched a sweet strike into the top left corner which gave the Colchester keeper no chance.
Reading continued to press for a winner but despite desperate attempts at either end neither side could find a way through and the points were shared.
