Barrow 1 Colchester United 1 - match report as U's strike late to claim draw

COLCHESTER United's T and T combination struck again as Lyle Taylor scored a dramatic equaliser in the second minute of time added on to claim a point in a 1-1 draw at Barrow this afternoon.

It looked like the U's were heading for defeat at Holker Street, after Elliot Newby had given the hosts a first-half lead.

But Taylor struck home his fifth goal of the season in stoppage time to rescue a point for Colchester after some great work by substitute Samson Tovide had set up the chance.

Colchester boss Danny Cowley made one change to his starting line-up for the game against Barrow.

Alex Woodyard came into the starting line-up in place of Arthur Read, who dropped to the bench, while Tovide was also among the substitutes after recovering from a hip injury.

Colchester looked to make a good start to the contest having made the 650-mile round trip for their longest journey of the year.

The U’s looked solid early on and almost took the lead in the 14th minute when JK Gordon's shot was turned away by keeper Wyll Stanway after he had exchanged passes with Lyle Taylor and burst into the Barrow area.

But the hosts grew more into the game as the first half wore on and in the 22nd minute, Kian Spence ballooned a shot over the bar from a great position after Neo Eccleston had done well down the right flank for the Bluebirds.

And Barrow went ahead in the 31st minute when Elliot Newby, brother of former U’s midfielder Alex Newby, crashed a shot into the net from close range from Eccleston's cross, after the hosts had broken away following a U's corner.

Colchester were forced to make a change at the back when Rob Hunt went off injured and was replaced by Mandela Egbo at right-back and the visitors seemed pretty content to get the chance to regroup, when the half-time whistle blew.

(Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

Barrow started the second half well and Connor Mahoney's shot was well collected by Matt Macey, after the ball had come back out to the Barrow player from a corner.

But Colchester came close to equalising just before the hour when Theo Vassell cleared from near his own goal-line, after Harry Anderson had knocked the ball past the on-rushing Stanway and chipped the ball towards goal.

Barrow were perhaps fortunate not to be reduced to ten men soon after when Spence, who had been booked in the first half, brought down Anderson as the U's were looking to launch a counter attack.

It was Anderson who went close to scoring for Colchester midway through the second half when he forced keeper Stanway to make a good low reflex save at his near post, as the U's pushed for an equaliser.

Tovide made a difference after coming on as a second-half substitute for his first appearance since mid-October.

And he played a big part in their equaliser when he burst past Vassell and set up Taylor, who tapped home from close range to ensure the U's claimed a share of the spoils.

MATCH STATS: COLCHESTER UNITED: Macey, Hunt (sub Egbo, 36), Flanagan, Donnelly, Iandolo, McDonnell, Woodyard (sub Tovide, 70), Anderson (sub Thorn, 79), Payne, Gordon, Taylor.

Substitutes (not used): Goodliffe, Read, Hopper, Smith.

Barrow: Stanway, Eccleston (sub Feely, 84), Campbell, Canavan, Spence (sub Popov, 78), Gotts, Jackson, Vassell, Mahoney (sub Dallas, 69), Newby, Telford (sub Kirk, 69).

Substitutes (not used): Stokes, Farman.

Goals: Colchester: Taylor (90). Barrow: Newby (31).

Referee: Ollie Yates.

Bookings: Colchester: Payne (foul, 45), Iandolo (foul, 61), Tovide (persistent fouling, 88), Taylor (foul, 90). Barrow: Spence (foul, 49), Canavan (foul, 82), Stanway (unsporting behaviour, 89).

Attendance: 3,179 (132 U’s fans).