COLCHESTER United are picking up an unwanted habit of leaking late goals as Plymouth midfielder, David Norris, stole an 87th minute equaliser at Layer Road last night.
By Carl Marston
COLCHESTER United are picking up an unwanted habit of leaking late goals as Plymouth midfielder, David Norris, stole an 87th minute equaliser at Layer Road last night.
In truth, the Pilgrims were good value for this away draw, but the U's will again be kicking themselves for letting two vital points slip through their fingertips.
Kevin Lisbie nudged the U's in front, against the run of play, with a real goal-poacher's strike in the 56th minute. Winger Mark Yeates, who was again the best outfield player on the park, let fly with a thunderous long-range shot that keeper Romain Larrieu could only parry, and the alert Lisbie reacted first to bury the rebound.
It was Lisbie's fifth goal for the U's, since his summer move from Charlton, and it looked like being enough to secure only a third home win of the season.
Man of the match Dean Gerken produced a string of superb saves to keep Plymouth at bay during the final half-hour, but he was finally beaten with just three minutes remaining.
Midfielder Norris was in the right place to sweep home a low cross from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, so denying the U's what would have been only a second clean-sheet of the campaign.
It was the seventh goal that United had conceded during the final 10 minutes of a match this season. It is a habit that they must shed quickly.
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