Colchester United 2 Derby County 2

FREDDIE Sears scored a quality brace in tonight’s pre-season friendly against Championship visitors Derby County.

Sears crashed home two excellent shots, from the edge of the box, on 42 and 55 minutes as the U’s came within a whisker of beating the Rams.

Magnus Okuonghae had scored an unfortunate own goal after just nine minutes, following a break-down in communications between the U’s defender and keeper Mark Cousins.

But Sears’ stunning double, boosting his tally to six goals in pre-season, looked to have secured the U’s a notable win until substitute Theo Robinson grabbed an equaliser with virtually the last kick of the game.

U’s boss John Ward said: “I just felt we were a little bit shy of it in the first half, but this was still an encouraging display.

“We scored a very good goal to equalise, and then at half-time we just told the boys to go out and play against them.

“Derby are a very good side and we think they are going to be a top 10 Championship team.

“But we pit out wits against them,” added Ward.

COLCHESTER TEAM: Cousins, Wilson, Okuonghae (sub Eastman, 76), Heath, Rose, Izzet (sub Bean, 68), Bond, Wordsworth (sub O’Toole, 68), Henderson, Morrison (sub Ladapo, 79), Sears.

DERBY STARTING XI: Fielding, Brayford, Buxton, Keogh, O’Connor, Bryson, Hendrick, Coutts, Ward, Tyson, Jacobs.