U's share the spoils with Blackpool.
Colchester United shared the spoils with Blackpool on the opening day in an entertaining ninety minutes.
Twice the U's fell behind against their recently relegated opponents and twice they fought back, and probably had the better of the second half.
The U's first goal was an absolute thunderbolt on the volley from Alex Gilbey, before Darren Ambrose finished with a measured and calm strike that summed up his debut performance.
The visitors opening goal came in the seventeenth minute, but they could have already broken the deadlock before then.
First Redshaw burrowed his way past two tackles before driving his shot wide of Parish's far post, before the forward missed an even better chance.
He was no more than four yards out when the ball found him at the far post, but he got his feet in a muddle and the chance was gone, with Blackpool fans at the other end celebrating the goal they thought should have happened.
They went in front when the impressive Mark Cullen showed Redshaw how it should have been done, tucking home after the ball came in low from the left.
The U's were level four minutes later, and it was an early contender for goal of the season.
The ball came in from the right, Joe Edwards nodded the ball down and Gilbey smashed home a superb volley into the top corner beyond Doyle.
Gavin Massey had a chance to put the U's in front late in the half, breaking the offside trap before being denied by the onrushing keeper.
And the U's found themselves behind at the break, as a defensive lapse allowed the ball to find Cullen, who got his second as he slotted home beyond Parish.
The home side came out and put on an improved display in the second half, and it was no surprise when they got themselves level again.
Massey had had the beating of Ferguson and beat his man to drill across a low cross to find Ambrose, who firmly sidefooted home.
The provider could have turned goalscorer as he won the ball in midfield and bore down on goal, only to be denied by brave goalkeeping by Doyle, who had to go off injured as a result.
The U's turned the screw in the second half and Moncur, Edwards, Brindley and Gilbey all had chances to find the winner.
But that didn't come and they had to take a point in the end, as the two teams finished all square at 2-2.
Twice the U's fell behind against their recently relegated opponents and twice they fought back, and probably had the better of the second half.
The U's first goal was an absolute thunderbolt on the volley from Alex Gilbey, before Darren Ambrose finished with a measured and calm strike that summed up his debut performance.
The visitors opening goal came in the seventeenth minute, but they could have already broken the deadlock before then.
First Redshaw burrowed his way past two tackles before driving his shot wide of Parish's far post, before the forward missed an even better chance.
He was no more than four yards out when the ball found him at the far post, but he got his feet in a muddle and the chance was gone, with Blackpool fans at the other end celebrating the goal they thought should have happened.
They went in front when the impressive Mark Cullen showed Redshaw how it should have been done, tucking home after the ball came in low from the left.
The U's were level four minutes later, and it was an early contender for goal of the season.
The ball came in from the right, Joe Edwards nodded the ball down and Gilbey smashed home a superb volley into the top corner beyond Doyle.
Gavin Massey had a chance to put the U's in front late in the half, breaking the offside trap before being denied by the onrushing keeper.
And the U's found themselves behind at the break, as a defensive lapse allowed the ball to find Cullen, who got his second as he slotted home beyond Parish.
The home side came out and put on an improved display in the second half, and it was no surprise when they got themselves level again.
Massey had had the beating of Ferguson and beat his man to drill across a low cross to find Ambrose, who firmly sidefooted home.
The provider could have turned goalscorer as he won the ball in midfield and bore down on goal, only to be denied by brave goalkeeping by Doyle, who had to go off injured as a result.
The U's turned the screw in the second half and Moncur, Edwards, Brindley and Gilbey all had chances to find the winner.
But that didn't come and they had to take a point in the end, as the two teams finished all square at 2-2.