Colchester United

It was the visitors who started the brighter, and it didn't take them long to open the scoring.

Jordan Sanderson and Freddie Ladapo got the goals in an even game at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

The U's have played out a 2-2 draw against Millwall U21s.

Good work by Aiden O’Brien in the third minute set up fellow forward Tobi Alabi, and his curler from just inside the penalty area flew past Carl Pentney and into the top corner.

Three minutes later, Alabi’s low cross was cleared at the near post and from the resultant corner, Goodman should have scored but completely missed the ball when it fell to him.

It was all Millwall in the early stages and following a shot that flew narrowly over, Pentney had to be at his best to save at the near post from O’Brien.

That chance came in the nineteenth minute and the U’s gradually clawed their way back after this latest let off.

They had Pentney to thank on the half hour though, as he brilliantly denied O’Brien as the Millwall forward tried to round him.

That save proved decisive, as the U’s got an equaliser less than two minutes later.

Drey Wright went on a mazy run, with numerous Millwall players unable to get the ball off him, but when his path was eventually blocked, he cleverly passed to Jordan Sanderson.

Sanderson took a touch forward and from just outside the box, drilled a low shot into the bottom corner past experienced keeper Maik Taylor.

Although the U’s had been on the back foot for much of the half, they should have gone in at half time ahead, with Freddie Ladapo guilty of missing an open goal.

Tom Lapslie picked the ball up in midfield and put a dangerous ball in behind the full back for Jackson Ramm to run onto. 

Ramm’s low cross fell invitingly for Ladapo but the U’s striker somehow managed to lift the ball onto the crossbar, with Lapslie’s follow up shot flying over.

Just before half time, the U’s had a couple of scares but an Alex Gilbey clearance off the line and a Pentney save with his legs kept the scores level.

It was end to end from the off in the second half, with both sides wanting to get forward at every opportunity.

Millwall gained a couple of early corners, which came to nothing, while Tosin Olufemi misplaced a header from a right wing cross.

On fifty seven minutes, Ben Coker’s surging run down the left was halted by a challenge just inside the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot.

Freddie Ladapo grabbed the ball and calmly slotted his spot kick past Taylor to give the U’s a 2-1 lead.

Millwall made a couple of substitutions and it paid dividends, with Twum finding Penney and allowing him to bear down on goal.

He could have easily had a go at Pentney himself but unselfishly squared it for O’Brien to score into the empty net.

Penney had a go himself as the game went into its last ten minutes, but Pentney positioned himself perfectly to save from distance.

With two minutes to go, the visitors should have won the game but O’Brien failed to hit the target with an easy chance from the edge of the six yard box.

The full time whistle went on with the scores level at 2-2, with both sides applauded off by an appreciative crowd on a bitterly cold night.