Colchester United's U23s have drawn 2-2 with Ipswich Town
The young U's drew with their Suffolk neighbours earlier in the seaosn, and the points were shared again on Monday afternoon at Florence Park.
On a difficult surface, the U's went ahead through Andre Hasanally, pictured in FA Youth Cup action, and then doubled the lead when Sammie McLeod scored a second.
After quickly halving the deficit, Town then levelled things up to make the final score 2-2.
The U’s had the first effort as a ball in from the left just evaded Michael Fernandes in the centre, before Ollie Sims fired over the bar after making ground at the far post.
In a home team featuring several first team squad members, a left wing corner ran out to Tom Lapslie. He fired in a great strike, which saw keeper Adam Pryzbek struggling to stop it.
As Town threatened for the first time, a neat turn by Tyreece Simpson saw him get away a left foot effort which keeper Ethan Ross saved.
A poor kick out by Ross then went straight to Liam Gibbs, whose shot was saved again by Ross and Armando Dobra’s follow up effort went over the bar.
Dobra got the next shot away but Ross saved at his near post and then a loose pass out from a Town defender proved costly.
This went straight to Lapslie who was denied by the visitors’ keeper, but the ball ran out to Andre Hasanally to put the follow up chance away and make it 1-0.
As Ryan Clampin tried to break down the left, he was hacked down by Dobra who was booked and then a clever move saw Hasanally and Fernandes link to put Sammie McLeod in on goal.
A ball in from the right saw the header by McLeod glance off a defender and away for a corner.
The U’s doubled their lead on the half hour mark, as Sammie McLeod latched onto a ball in from the left and drove in a shot from the right side of the area.
The two goal lead did not last long, as a ball in from the right was not really cleared far and it ran to Dobra who shot into the far corner of the net a minute later.
After the interval some neat Town build up play saw Brett McGavin’s effort, with a slight deflection, go just wide and then Sims was pulled back by Dobra.
He knew his punishment and was already walking off the field when the referee got out the second yellow and the subsequent red card.
Being a man down didn’t deter the Tractorboys, and they were on level terms just before the hour mark. Ross saved a shot by Morris, but it Simpson put away the rebound.
The U’s went looking for a winner, but a free kick by McLeod went straight into the arms of Pryzbek.
And ten man Ipswich finished the game with chances of their own to win it, Curtis getting in on the blind side but shooting just wide.
And then Morris shot over the bar, before Gibbs mishit his shot wide of the near post. It ended 2-2 and the points were again shared.
The U's are on their travels next, taking on Charlton Athletic at Dartford next week, before two home games against Coventry and Swansea.