Colchester United had to settle for a draw against their League One opponents, Ipswich Town on Tuesday evening, after a late equaliser from the visitors.
Ipswich Town were the side quick out of the blocks, taking the lead through Joe Pigott before Tommy Smith headed his side back level.
Paul Cook's team were quickly back in front though, as Macauley Bonne struck against his former club to make it 1-2 after half an hour, before Frank Nouble made it 2-2 with a clever header just before the break.
The U's looked like they might win the game at one point, after Alan Judges brilliant finish over the depairing Holy, only for a Wes Burns free kick to deny them at the death.
The U's started the game brighlty, and had the first chance of the match when Freddie Sears was played through by a Noah Chilvers ball, but Sears was unable to keep his effort down as the ball sailed over the bar.
But it was the visitors who struck first, getting the opener in the first six minutes. Armando Dobra delivered the ball to Joe Pigott who had gotten in front of his man in the area for a simple tap in from inside the six-yard area.
The U's were quickly back on the attack though and looking to get level. Alan Judge's swerving effort was straight at Holy in the visiting goal, but Holy was beaten two minutes later by Brendan Wiredu. Unfortunately for the U's man, there was a Town player on the line to clear.
It worked out well for the U's though, as Tommy Smith nodded his side level from the resulting corner. Attacking the ball at the near post, Smith got his head to the ball and beat Holy from close range to make it 1-1.
The scores would be level for just a matter of minutes though, as another header was scored, this time at the other end. Former U's front man Macauley Bonne got his head to the ball and powerfully guided it beyond Gerken and into the far corner of the net to make it 1-2 with half an hour played.
Once again, Hayden Mullins' side rallied to get an equaliser, and they didn't have to wait as long for this one to come. In the forty-second minute, Frank Nouble outjumped the imposing figure of Holy to head into the now unguarded net to make it 2-2 minutes before the half time whistle.
It remained level until the break, with the U's opting to make one change at half time as Gerken was replaced by Trialist F.
The second half started much slower than the first had ended, although the U's did have a good chance to take the lead ten minutes into the second period with Frank Nouble.
Cameron Coxe's pinpoint cross allowed an unmarked Frank Nouble to get his head to the ball, where he was unable to get the direction on the effort as it was easily caught by Holy.
But the U's kept pushing forwards, and forced Holy into a mistake with twenty minutes to go. He came out of the area with his box under pressure from Sears, gifting the ball straight to Judge, whose perfeclty executed lofted shot nestled in the back of the net to make it 3-2 to Colchester United.
It was a lead that the U's couldn't quite hold on to, when three minutes from time, the visitors equalised. Wes Burns struck a free kick into the top corner of the net, giving Trialist F no chance to save, making it 3-3.
The game would finish with the scores level, despite the away side trying to grab a late winner, as the U's have just one remaining pre-season game to come, with Wealdstone on Saturday afternoon.
Colchester United starting XI: Gerken, Clampin, Chambers, Smith, Wiredu, Nouble, Judge, Sears, Chilvers, Eastman, Coxe.
Subs: Skuse, Hasanally, Thomas, Tovide, Terry, Cornish, Beadle, Trialist C, Trialist E, Trialist F.
Ipswich Town starting XI: Holy, Donacien, Penney, Woolfenden, Ndaba, Humphreys, Dobra, Harper, Pigott, Bonne, Fraser.
Subs: Vincent-Young, Hladky, Nsiala, Alexander, Healy, Norwood, Jackson, Burns, Clements.