Match Report: Colchester United 2-2 Morecambe
THE Shrimps maintained their excellent away form with a battling point on their first ever visit to the Weston Homes Community Stadium.
Jim Bentley's side, that had two changes from the team that lost to Stevenage last week, battled well and overcamwe the disappointment of missing a first half penalty to claim a deserved point.
Once again though they had to do things the hard way as they went a goal down again - this time after just four minutes.
Colchester attacked down the right and Kane Vincent-Young was left in too much space and had time to deliver the perfect cross for Chris Porter to beat his marker and volley past Barry Roche from four yards out.
The home side almost had a second moments later from a similar position when a right wing cross came in again and Denny Johnstone had a free header but saw his effort easily saved by Roche.
After a slow start Morecambe came into the game and won a penalty on 17 minutes when Peter Murphy was pushed in the box but Tom Barkhuizen's spot kick was saved by the legs of home keeper Sam Walker who was to have ab eventful afernoon.
Barkhuizen made amends nine minutes later as he drew his side level with a cool finish. A mistake in the Colchester defence gave Barkhuizen a free run on goal and the front man kept his cool to produce a fine finish to chip the ball over the onrushing keeper.
Colchester reacted the better to the goal and regained the lead on 39 minutes with the second penalty of the game when Kevin Ellison handled a shot and Porter stepped up to send Roche the wrong way from the spot.
Chances were at a premium in the second half but the Shrimps were handed a lifeline with a gift 16 minutes from time when Molyneux's well struck free kick somehow slipped through Walker's grasp when it looked like he had saved the effort.
Colchester piled on the pressure at the death and forced a couple of openings. Tarique Fosu and Kurtis Guthrie both fired efforts just wide and Guthrie cojuldn't finish a good left wing cross as the Shrimps held on for an excellent point.
Colchester: Walker, Briindley, Eastman, Prosser, Wynter, Vincent-Young (rep Fosu 84), Slater, Szmodics (re Guthrie 65), Wright, Porter, Johnstone (rep Bonne 80). Subs not used: Bransgrove, Sembie-Ferris, Doyley, Kamara.
Booked: Wright.
Morecambe: Roche., McGowan, Edwards, Whitmore, Jennings, Fleming (rep Molyneux 60), Rose, Barkhuizen, Murphy, Ellison (rep Massanka 74), Stockton. Subs not used: Nizic, Wakefield, Mullin, Conlan, Turner.
Booked: Ellison, Fleming, Rose.
Ref: G Ward.
Att: 2,815