Phipps goal earns a point.
Colchester United U23s picked up a point in their latest away game, as they extended their unbeaten run to three matches.
The result came against a Birmingham City side who themselves were five games unbeaten prior to the match and sets the U's up nicely for next week's Premier League Cup Quarter Final tie against Portsmouth.
In an evenly contested first half, it was the U's who went close first, with Lewis Kinsella stooping to head just over the bar after just five minutes.
City began to see more of the ball leading up to the half hour mark, but the U's protected Dillon Barnes well at the back and ensured the game remained goalless.
Tommy O'Sullivan tested the Birmingham keeper with an effort on 35 minutes, before the U's were presented with the chance to go in front on the stroke of half time.
Diaz Wright sent away Kinsella and he was felled in the box, with Eli Phipps sending the keeper the wrong way to put the U's ahead.
City made a double change at the break, and the substitutions gave them a new impetus, which was rewarded with an equaliser on 54 minutes.
Front man Wes McDonald had been in good form in recent weeks and added to his tally by slipping the ball home past Barnes to level it up.
The two teams traded chances in the remainder of the game, but neither could find the path to a winning goal and so the spoils were shared.
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