Colchester United 2 Yeovil Town 2

COLCHESTER United dominated for virtually the whole afternoon, but had to make do with a point against struggling Yeovil Town.

The U’s recovered well from the blow of conceding a goal after just 40 seconds, through Gavin Massey, and were on level terms thanks to Andy Bond’s deflected long range shot on 38 minutes.

Michail Antonio then headed the U’s in front from close range in the 55th minute, only for Massey to bundle home the equaliser with his second goal of the game just eight minutes later.

The U’s should really have won this game at a canter, but they squandered several good chances and came up against a very stubborn Yeovil team, who defended stoically.

John Ward’s men were caught cold after just 40 seconds as Yeovil netted from the game’s very first attack.

Oli Johnson homed in on goal and fired in a shot that was blocked, only for the onrushing Massey to squeeze the rebound beyond Ben Williams and into the net. Williams actually appeared to get a good touch to the shot, but could not keep it out.

That early goal did not upset the U’s, because they had countless chances to grab a quickfire equaliser. In fact it was one-way traffic for the rest of the first half.

They were denied by the woodwork on 16 minutes. Yeovil keeper Jed Steer beat away Ian Henderson’s cross-cum-shot, and the rebound struck Kayode Odejayi unexpectedly and flew back off the post.

Colchester’s constant pressure finally paid off with Bond’s first goal of the season, a deflected 30-yarder following a free-kick routine, in the 38th minute.

Henderson played a key part in the build up. The winger instigated a quickfire U’s attack, which ended with Massey being booked for felling Ben Coker.

United struck from the free-kick, with Bond’s opportunist long-range effort flying off a defender and into the net.

Yeovil will have been glad to still been on level terms at the break, but they were trailing within 10 minutes of the restart.

Coker delivered a teasing cross from the left edge of the penalty area and Antonio could hardly miss as he nodded home from point blank range.

Wordsworth, standing nearby, kick-started the celebrations as though he had scored the goal! But it was definitely Antonio’s goal, his third in a Colchester shirt.

Yeovil did not take long to strike back. Just eight minutes later and Williams could only parry a shot by right-back Max Ehmer, enabling Massey to tuck home his second goal of the season.

The U’s had several chances to win the game during the final 20 minutes.

Substitute Steven Gillespie had a headed goal ruled out in the 85th minute, and Magnus Okuonghae lifted a shot agonisingly over the bar from close-in during injury-time.

However, Yeovil nearly stole all three points at the death when substitute Kieran Agard’s header rebounded off the bar.

Squads

COLCHESTER UNITED: Williams, Wilson, Okuonghae, Baldwin, Coker, Izzet, Bond, Wordsworth (sub Gillespie, 75), Henderson, Odejayi, Antonio. Unused subs: Heath, O’Toole, James, Duguid.

YEOVIL TOWN: Steer, Ehmer, Huntington, N’Gala, Jones, Wotton, Massey, Upson, Ayling, Johnson (sub Agard, 82), Maclean. Unused subs: Stewart, O’Brien, Haynes-Brown, Gibson.

Referee: Chris Sarginson (Staffs)

Attendance: 3,521