Colchester United draw with Peterborough United in pre-season friendly

Chilvers netted from the penalty spot on the hour to cancel out Jonson Clarke-Harris's early opener for Posh, at a soggy JobServe Community Stadium.

The result means Ben Garner's remain unbeaten in pre-season, as they continue their preparations for the new League Two campaign.

Colchester started with the side that finished the game against Stevenage, with new signings Ellis Iandolo, Nico Lawrence, Owen Goodman and Mauro Bandeira all starting.

The U’s went close to scoring in the fifth minute when Jayden Fevrier wriggled himself into space in the Posh area before driving in a low shot that keeper Nicholas Bilokapic had to parry inside his six-yard box.

But Colchester fell behind in the ninth minute when Clarke-Harris prodded Posh ahead from five yards, after Joe Tomlinson had delivered a cross low and hard from the left.

The U’s looked to find a route back into the contest and Samson Tovide dragged a shot well wide from inside the area, after good interplay between Bandeira and Fevrier had set up the chance.

But Peterborough still posed the greater threat in the first half and Ryan de Havilland's 20-yard shot was deflected wide for a corner, after some good build-up play by the visitors.

Lawrence’s attempted headed clearance from a corner sails inches past his own far post soon after but Colchester came close to levelling just after the half hour when a moment of individual skill from Chilvers saw him go past two Posh defenders before unleashing a 25-yard strike that whistled just past the post.

Peterborough almost doubled their lead just before half-time when Tom Dallison sliced an attempted clearance over the bar for a corner, after the visitors had drilled the ball dangerous towards goal.

Colchester went in at the break changing and after introducing Alex Newby and Bradley Ihionvien at half-time almost conceded again early in the second half when Goodman was forced to get down low at his near post to make a smart save from Kai Corbett.

Corbett then smacked the outside of a post after being gifted a free shot on goal by Chilvers’ sloppy pass as Peterborough pressed.

But Colchester almost equalised in the 53rd minute through youngster Ihionvien, who scooped the ball over from close range after Newby had done well to set up the chance in the six-yard box.

Posh made ten changes just before the hour mark and the alterations seemed to affect their rhythm, as they conceded soon after.

Goalkeeper Will Blackmore and defender Romoney Critchlow got themselves into a pickle in their own area, leading to Samson Tovide being brought down in the box and Chilvers emphatically converting the resultant penalty.

Buoyed by the equaliser, Chilvers almost scored again a minute later with a rasping effort that was brilliantly tipped over by Blackmore.

And soon after, the lively Ihionvien's low shot was heading towards goal until being deflected over for a corner, after more hesitancy in the visitors' defence.

Peterborough began to rediscover their rhythm after that and Goodman made another smart save at his near post to deny Ephron Mason-Clark, with 20 minutes remaining.

John Akinde almost won it for Colchester with six minutes to go when he raced through on goal only for Peter Kioso to get back well and divert the striker's effort away for a corner.

The spoils were shared though, with Colchester's next friendly a game against West Ham United under-21s at Maldon and Tiptree, next Friday night (kick-off 7.30pm).

COLCHESTER UNITED: Goodman, Fevrier (sub Newby, 46), Dallison (sub Greenidge, 77), Hall (sub Nelson, 77), Lawrence (sub Kazeem, 77), Read (sub Terry, 77), Iandolo (sub Miranda, 77), Chilvers (sub Jay, 77), Bandeira (sub Akinde, 77), Tovide (sub Hopper, 77), Thomas (sub Ihionvien, 46).