Oldham Athletic 1 Colchester United 1

DREY Wright was on target as Colchester United secured an away draw against fellow strugglers Oldham Athletic at a windswept Boundary Park this afternoon.

Teenager Wright broke the deadlock midway through the first half, only for Jose Baxter to equalise on 68 minutes.

Oldham would have leapfrogged the U’s in the League One table, if they had won, so this was a good point for Joe Dunne’s men.

A mistake, out of the blue, by Oldham keeper Dean Bouzanis, gifted the U’s the lead on 19 minutes.

Andy Bond’s tame shot looked easy enough for Bouzanis to smother, but he inexplicably allowed the ball to squirm free of his grasp, inside his six-yard box.

Drey Wright did not need a second invitation, pouncing on the loose ball to rifle into the roof of the net.

Colchester’s lead lasted until the 68th minute. Danger-man Lee Croft was the creator, with a teasing cross from the right flank, and Baxter connected with a strong header that flew into the net, via the underside of the bar.

The U’s nearly stole a winner in the 75th minute, but Jabo Ibehre’s header from a corner cannoned back off the bar.

Squads

OLDHAM ATHLETIC: Bouzanis, Brown (sub Reid, 64), M’Voto, Tarkowski, Grounds, Wesolowski, Smith, Croft, Baxter, Simpson, Barnard (sub Obita, 64). Unused subs: Cisak, Iwelumo, Montano, Byrne, Millar.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Walker, Wilson, Okuonghae, Thompson, White, Bond, David Wright, Massey (sub Garmston, 86), Ibehre, Drey Wright (sub Morrison, 90), Smith (sub Bean, 69). Unused subs: Cousins, Heath, Clifford, Compton.

Referee: M Haywood (West Yorkshire)

Attendance: 4,244