Mansfield Town 1 Colchester United 1

Colchester United rescued a point at the death as Sammie Szmodics celebrated an injury-time equaliser at Mansfield Town this afternoon.

The U’s seemed to be heading for a narrow defeat, undone by a great strike by Craig Davies late on.

On as a substitute, in the 58th minute, Davies found the back of the net with a cracking strike from a central position in the 81st minute. His left-footed shot flew into the top corner of the net.

But with time running out, Szmodics drilled home the equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time, to help preserve the U’s unbeaten start to the season in League Two.

The first half was almost bereft of chances, although club captain Luke Prosser did have a header well saved from an 16th minute corner.

Mansfield had a couple of opportunities before Prosser’s effort. CJ Hamilton scooped a shot over the top on six minutes, and Malvind Benning had a drive blocked on 14 minutes.

Into the second half and Tom Lapslie, who missed the midweek League Cup tie at Cheltenham due to a combination of illness and injury, had a goalbound shot blocked in the 55th minute.

But the game seemed to be drifting towards a draw until Davies came up trumps on 81 minutes, only for Szmodicss to deny their hosts at the death.

COLCHESTER: Barnes, Jackson, Kent, Prosser, Vincent-Young (sub Eastman, 87), Lapslie, Pell, Dickenson, Szmodics, Senior (sub Norris, 72), Nouble (sub Mandron, 87). Unused subs: Ross, Wright, Comley, Collins.

Attendance: 3,909