KENT EQUALISER THRILLS McGREAL
COLCHESTER head coach John McGreal was pleased to see his side battle back for a point against fellow play-off hopefuls Carlisle.
Frankie Kent headed home an 84th-minute equaliser from close range to rescue a point for the hosts, after keeper Adam Collin had pushed away substitute Brennan Dickenson’s cross in the area.
Hallam Hope had earlier given Carlisle a 57th-minute lead when he turned home from close range, after Mark Cullen had helped on Callum O’Hare’s cross.
The draw lifts Colchester into fifth and McGreal said: “It’s a great point knowing that they were beneath us.
“It was a proper football match and it was a game of chess.
“They were counter-acting what we were doing and we had to counter-act what they tried to do.
“There were some different game-plans out there but there was some terrific football.
“It was two great footballing sides at this level and some great quality of play. Chances were at a premium, but Frank was the Johnny on the spot to knock it in for us.
“There’s goals throughout the team and Frank has been able to get a few.”
Carlisle had gone close in the fifth minute when Regan Slater’s header was saved at point-blank range by Colchester keeper Rene Gilmartin, who also parried Hope’s shot soon after.
Colchester had a penalty appeal rejected when Courtney Senior tumbled under Gary Liddle’s challenge in the area.
But Carlisle edged an even first half and Kent almost diverted Mark Cullen’s fierce cross-shot into his own net. And the visitors took the lead through Hope, who turned home smartly from close range despite Ryan Jackson’s attempts to keep it out on the line after Cullen had helped on O’Hare’s cross to pick him out.
Colchester skipper Luke Prosser fired straight at keeper Adam Collin, before Kent’s equaliser meant the spoils were shared.
Carlisle manager Steven Pressley said: “In the first half, we were very much in control of the game. They had periods of possession, but we never looked like we were going to concede and we always looked very dangerous on the counter-attack.
“We had three or four of the big chances in the first half.
“We started the second half very well and for 15 minutes, we did a lot of the things that we’d talked about.
“We got ourselves in front, but in the last half hour, we didn’t show composure under pressure because while the changes that they made were positive changes, they were changes that suited us.
“But we didn’t show the composure in the last 20 minutes that would have seen us out and winning the game.
“The last half-hour was a disappointment.”