2-2
Reds 2 (Fletcher 57, 80)
Colchester Utd 2 (Moncur 42, Lapslie 90+8)
Barnsley remain in the play-off places after a 2-2 draw against Colchester United as their 2016 home campaign drew to a close.
The U’s threatened to take the lead in the opening minute of the half as George Moncur struck the upright and chipped across the face of goal shortly after.
Sam Winnall and Marc Roberts were superbly denied by Elliot Parish before Alfie Mawson struck the woodwork 10 minutes before the break.
Colchester opened the scoring three minutes before the break as Moncur swept home the opening goal of the afternoon.
The Reds levelled just before the hour as Ashley Fletcher showed a clean pair of heels to the U’s defence and slotting into the corner of the goal.
Harry Chapman blazed over with over 15 minutes remaining before Fletcher netted his second from close range, but Tom Lapslie’s header in the eighth minute of added time left the Reds level on points with Scunthorpe United heading into the final day.
Colchester threatened to open the scoring after only 53 seconds as George Moncur fired against the upright after smart work from Elliot Lee on the wing.
Moncur flicked another effort across the face of goal after 11 minutes and the Reds’ first effort came after 19 minutes as Adam Hammill bent the ball low into Elliot Parish’s gloves.
The Reds seemed to click into gear after that with Ashley Fletcher firing straight at Parish two minutes later before Lee fired towards Davies’ near post on 24 minutes, the stopper superbly keeping him out.
Fletcher turned provider for Sam Winnall just past the half hour mark with the striker denied at point blank range by Parish and the stopper denied Marc Roberts’ goalward header seconds later.
Sustained pressure saw Alfie Mawson hit the woodwork from a corner 10 minutes before the break and Lloyd Isgrove’s fast break saw the ball ricochet into the side netting off the winger’s boot.
Barnsley were eventually undone three minutes before the break as Lee played in Moncur, who skipped outside his marker and slotted into the bottom corner from close range.
A nervous start to the second half from both sides saw the closest chance for either side come on 49 minutes as Fletcher’s drilled ball across the box failed to find anyone in a Reds shirt sliding in.
Barnsley levelled on 57 minutes thanks to a fine run and finish from Fletcher.
The striker was slipped in by Winnall and after racing clear of Nicky Shorey, he produced a calm finish to finish across Parish and tie things up.
Barnsley had the chance take the lead for the first time moments later after a flurry of opportunities and shouts for a penalty.
Isgrove was hacked down in the area but the appeals for a penalty were waved away and the Reds could not force the ball home as it broke clear in the melee.
Roberts saw another effort palmed away by Parish on 68 minutes while Moncur curled just over the top after Lee slipped him in before substitute Harry Chapman fired a free ball inches over the top.
The Reds finally got the breakthrough they deserved 10 minutes from time as Fletcher doubled both his and Barnsley’s tally.
Hammill’s cross was met by Chapman but his effort blocked and looped into the path of Fletcher, who headed home his seventh goal of the season.
An injury to goalkeeper Parish in the aftermath saw the stopper stretchered off the pitch and with the U’s out of replacements, striker Macauley Bonne donned the gloves for the final five minutes.
The Reds failed to hold their lead as Colchester levelled in the final minute through Tom Lapslie’s close range header.
Teams
Reds: Davies, G. Williams, Roberts, Mawson, Scowen, Isgrove (Chapman, 70’), Hourihane, Brownhill, Hammill, Fletcher (Toney, 90+4’), Winnall (Tuton, 90+2’).
Subs: Townsend, Nyatanga, McCourt, Evans.
Colchester: Parish, Edwards, Kent, Eastman (Wynter, 67’), Shorey, Lapslie, Garvan, Massey (Gilbey, 71’), Lee (Wright, 77’), Moncur, Bonne.
Subs: Porter, Brindley, Barnes, Dunne.
