Colchester 2 Barnsley 2

Colchester United will face more injury and suspension woe as Dean Gerken and Kevin McLeod were respectively dismissed and hurt, during a 2-2 draw with Barnsley on Saturday.

The U`s first home game of the last season at Layer Road was fraught with incident and drama as Gerken was adjudged first to have brought down opposing forward Kayode Odejayi in the penalty area, for which he was dismissed.

Sub keeper Mark Cousins failed to save the spot kick converted by Brain Howard, who added a controversial second spot-kick toward full-time. By then, the Tykes also had a man sent off when Paul Reid was given his marching orders on 51 minutes.

In between, Colchester scored twice to take the lead, though two players, in Teddy Sheringham and Matt Connolly, making home debuts. Howard was allowed to square the game when Johnnie Jackson committed the infringement of a handball in the penalty area.

Full Time: 2-2. Full Match Report To Follow.