Wayne Brown's side rescued a point at the death courtesy of new arrival Beryly Lubala netting a stoppage-time equaliser on his debut.
Hartlepool took the lead in the first half as Reghan Tumilty set up Wesley McDonald for the opener. The game was finely poised throughout, although neither keeper was really tested throughout the game.
Half chances were the theme for the Colchester, but they converted in the end with Beryly Lubala nodding in a late equaliser. Wayne Brown’s side looked like they could snatch a winner in the end but had to settle for a draw on the day.
Colchester new boys Kwesi Appiah and Matty Longstaff were thrown straight into the starting line-up as the U’s looked to bounce back from the defeat at Tranmere last weekend, with Al-Amin Kazeem also returning at left-back.
Freddie Sears, Ryan Clampin and Frank Nouble all dropped to the bench as the U’s looked to respond to the previous result.
The opening fifteen minutes of play did not present too much in the way of opportunities, but it was the home side who had most of the ball.
Alex Newby and Longstaff were able to exploit space in the middle due to their naturally wide positions, with the latter linking up well with Junior Tchamadeu on the right-hand side.
As we approached the half-hour mark, the game began to stretch. Hartlepool looked dangerous on the counter and did well to win several corners on the break.
Wayne Brown’s side looked to exploit Appiah’s presence in the final third. The striker was dropping into gaps to receive the ball, before releasing the U’s wide players.
Longstaff went close after some fantastic linkup play between Newby and Kazeem. The full-back played a ball across the midfielder, but his flick went just wide.
Hartlepool took the lead after twenty-nine minutes. A loose ball allowed Reghan Tumilty to drive goalward before cutting back to Wesley McDonald who fired past Kieran O’Hara in net.
A change in shape and the first substitute of the match was made after the goal. Cole Skuse had picked up a knock earlier in the game and Freddie Sears was sent on as the U’s opted for an attacking change.
Hartlepool looked the more likely to score after their opener, with Rollin Menayese often breaking through the midfield press and fashioning some half chances for the visitors.
The hosts looked to find an equaliser as we entered five minutes of stoppage time in the first half but were unable to breach before the referee signalled the end of play.
Another change from Brown as we got into the second half, with Marley Marshall-Miranda making way for another new face in Lubala.
The Blackpool loanee was straight into the action as he combined well with Longstaff, to play a dangerous ball into the box, but there was no one there to turn it home.
The U’s had a good chance ten minutes into the second half, Noah Chilvers sent in a teasing ball after Tchamadeu had won a free kick for his side. The ball fizzed across the face of goal and Appiah was inches away from turning the ball in.
Tchamadeu was pulling the strings on the right-hand side, his constant bursts of energy were too much for the tiring Hartlepool players. Sears was doing his best to breach the backline but still the ball would not find the back of the net.
More changes were made with twenty minutes to go as Dan Chesters came on for his home debut and Nouble also entered the fray.
Colchester continued to press for a way back into the game, with Hartlepool doing all they could to slow the game down as we entered the final ten minutes.
Six minutes were added on at the end of the game, with Cameron Coxe coming on for one final throw of the dice.
And it was the new boy Lubala who rescued a point at the JobServe Community Stadium.
Relentless pressure from the home side paid off as a teasing ball in from Coxe was nodded home by the new number fifteen.
The U’s were encouraged to find a winner with two minutes of added time left to play, but they had to settle for a point in the game as Hartlepool held on in the end.
Colchester return on Tuesday as they get their Papa John’s Trophy campaign underway against Brighton under-21s.
Colchester XI: O’Hara, Chambers, Dallison, Skuse (Sears), Appiah (Nouble), Chilvers, Newby (Chesters), Tchamadeu (Coxe), Longstaff, Kazeem, Marshall-Miranda (Lubala)
Subs: Hornby, Sears, Lubala, Eastman, Chesters, Coxe, Nouble
Hartlepool XI: Killip, Niang, Murray, Featherstone (Sylla), McDonald (Hastie), Paterson, Hamilton (Odour), Crawford (Shelton), Menayese, Lacey, Tumilty
Subs: Letheren, Ferguson, Shelton, Hastie, Grey, Sylla, Odour