Moses Sesay Scores Late Equaliser as Colchester United Draw With Shrewsbury

Moses Sesay struck a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw for Colchester United against Shrewsbury at Croud Meadow, snatching a point just moments after Isaac Fletcher looked to have won the fixture for the hosts.

Danny Cowley made one change to his starting line-up

Colchester boss Danny Cowley altered his starting eleven by making a single adjustment for the trip to Shrewsbury compared to the team that shared the spoils with Cheltenham Town. Oscar Thorn made way and dropped to the substitutes’ bench, allowing Bradley Ihionvien to return to the starting line-up to face his former club. Jay Williams unexpectedly featured in the matchday squad after his international clearance for St Kitts and Nevis failed to arrive promptly, leading him to rejoin the U’s group. Lining up in a 4-4-1-1 formation, Colchester deployed Moses Sesay on the right flank while Kylian Kouassi slotted in directly behind central forward Ihionvien.

Making a lively start to the encounter, the U’s saw Sesay display impressive footwork before curling an effort narrowly past the far post from a tight angle. Moments later, Ihionvien dispossessed Jay Turner-Cooke inside the visitors’ half, drove forward, and unleashed an ambitious long-range strike that goalkeeper Will Brook comfortably gathered low down. Maintaining their attacking pressure, Colchester nearly broke the deadlock when Sesay delivered a dangerous right-wing cross that Jack Payne narrowly failed to turn in from inside the six-yard box.

Hoole headed home a 29th-minute equaliser for the hosts

Nevertheless, the visitors seized a 19th-minute advantage through Sesay; after Ihionvien initiated the counter-attack with a crucial interception, Sesay brilliantly weaved past a pair of defenders before tucking past Brook to register his second goal in as many outings. Shrewsbury mounted a strong response to falling behind, forcing U’s custodian Timotheee Lo-Tutala to tip a header from Hoole over the crossbar for a corner. From Tom Sang’s ensuing set-piece delivery, however, Hoole nodded in a 29th-minute leveller for the home side. The hosts concluded the opening period on top, with Lo-Tutala displaying sharp reflexes to palm away a Lloyd header over the bar. Lloyd then missed the target at the near post from a acute angle during first-half stoppage time, leaving the teams deadlocked at the interval.

Moses Sesay Scores Late Equaliser as Colchester United Draw With Shrewsbury — Photo: shropshirestar.com

Colchester made a double change with 17 minutes remaining

Although the second half remained a tense affair, Shrewsbury came close just before the hour mark when a corner led to Sam Stubbs directing a header goalward, only for Kylian Kouassi to hack it off the goalline. A brief scare arose for Colchester when Lo-Tutala sustained a knock from Lloyd’s late challenge and required medical attention, prompting substitute shot-stopper Roberts to begin warm-up routines. Seeking a breakthrough goal with 17 minutes left on the clock, Colchester introduced a double substitution as Thorn and recent acquisition Beryly Lubala replaced Ihionvien and Harry Anderson. Shortly afterwards, the U’s threatened again as Thorn fed the lively Sesay, who executed another dazzling piece of skill to bypass his marker before drilling a low shot just wide of the mark. Having dominated possession during their second-half pursuit of a winner, Colchester squandered a golden chance with seven minutes remaining when Kouassi blazed over from seven yards out following excellent build-up play from Thorn.

Moses Sesay hit a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser

The match produced a grandstand finish when two goals in stoppage time unfolded at Croud Meadow. Shrewsbury thought they had won it when Isaac Fletcher scored after Colchester goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala had fumbled George Lloyd’s shot, two minutes before the final surge. Moses Sesay secured a 2-2 draw for Colchester with a dramatic late strike, finding the net from Oscar Thorn’s delivery in the fourth minute of added time to snatch a valuable point for the U’s.