Johnnie Jackson earned rock-bottom Colchester a valuable point in their battle to avoid relegation from the Coca-Cola Championship and overshadowed Andy Cole's goal-scoring home debut for Burnley.

Cole, on loan from Sunderland, celebrated a first start for Owen Coyle's Clarets by netting his first goal in nearly 10 months to break the deadlock midway through the first half.

The 36-year-old made no mistake from an acute angle and had the home fans momentarily dreaming of a victory which would have lifted Burnley into the play-off pack.

But Jackson's deflected free-kick shortly before the interval hauled the sides level and the Us hung on to claim a share of the spoils.

Geraint Williams' men had chances to clinch all three points but were left to rue their profligacy at Turf Moor.

Kyle Lafferty joined Cole in the Burnley attack after serving a four-match ban.

Midfielder Kevin McLeod was back in the Colchester starting XI after recovering from sciatica while Teddy Sheringham, Cole's former strike partner at Manchester United, was again on the bench.

Cole showed plenty of neat early touches on his home debut and instantly endeared himself to the Turf Moor faithful by opening the scoring after a low-key opening.

Graham Alexander made inroads down the right flank and Cole pounced on his cross to fire left-footed past goalkeeper Dean Gerken from six yards.

It was Cole's first goal since he scored against Wolves last April while on loan at Birmingham and it was a trademark finish from the former Newcastle striker.

To compound Colchester's woes striker Kevin Lisbie limped off injured two minutes after Cole's opener although the Us responded strongly to going behind.

Karl Duguid headed a McLeod cross wide from close range before the latter volleyed wide from 18 yards.

Brian Jensen denied Jackson from just outside the penalty area but the former Tottenham trainee was not to be denied and seven minutes before half-time he levelled.

David Unsworth felled Scott Vernon 25 yards out and Jackson stepped up to fire the resulting free-kick past Jensen although it did take a deflection before beating the Burnley goalkeeper.

Gerken pulled off a superb save to keep out a 25-yard Robbie Blake free-kick shortly before the interval and, after the restart, Jensen parried Vernon's volley from the edge of the box.

Lafferty, by his own high standards, had been largely anonymous before he fired straight at Gerken just before the hour mark and Coyle introduced Ade Akinbiyi at the expense of Blake.

McLeod tried his luck from 25 yards shortly afterwards but failed to hit the target as the game petered out.

On-loan Arsenal midfielder Mark Randall replaced James O'Connor as the home side searched for fresh attacking impetus but it never came.

Teams:

Burnley Jensen, Alexander, Varga, Unsworth, Harley, Elliott, James O'Connor (Randall 73), Gudjonsson (Caldwell 52), Lafferty, Cole, Blake (Akinbiyi 61).

Subs Not Used: Kiraly, Spicer.

Goals: Cole 23.

Colchester Gerken, Ifil, Coyne, Virgo, White, McLeod (Guttridge 75), Izzet, Duguid, Jackson, Lisbie (Vernon 26), Platt.

Subs Not Used: Cousins, Watson, Sheringham.

Goals: Jackson 38.

Att: 15,376

Ref: Steve Bratt (W Midlands).