COLCHESTER United manager John Ward has confirmed that striker Steven Gillespie may need an operation after suffering a fractured left arm in this afternoon’s 1-1 draw at Brentford.

The U’s put in a much improved display on their travels to halt a run of four straight away defeats, Ian Henderson’s first half opener cancelled out by Sam Saunders’ 75th minute free-kick equaliser in an entertaining end-of-season mid-table battle.

The keenly-contested match was marred slightly though by an injury to Gillespie who landed awkwardly on his arm while trying to block a defensive clearance just before the break.

“There’s a fracture,” confirmed Ward. “He’s been taken to hospital by David Perkins (a close friend of Gillespie who himself is out with a hamstring injury) and the early prognosis is he may need an operation.

“It’s a freakish one but Tony Flynn (club physio) knew straight away it was a bad one. We’re going to try and take him back to Colchester and get him looked at there.

“He’s obviously not going to play in the next three games and we’re going to miss him, but to be fair the boys dug in without him and got him a point at least.”

Reflecting on his side’s draw, Ward added: “I’m pleased with our response (after a 4-1 defeat at Carlisle).

“Both teams have put in a really good effort in high temperatures and I think the fans appreciated that at the end.

“If we’d have had a slightly better touch in the final third we might have got another goal, but Brentford have also forced a couple of good saves out of Ben (Williams) so a draw was probably a fair result.”

Colchester United host League One champions Brighton on Easter Monday.

– For full report and reaction see tomorrow’s EADT.