BEN Goodliffe came off the bench to score a late equaliser as Colchester United played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Accrington Stanley this afternoon.

Goodliffe scored in the 85th minute to cancel out Kelsey Mooney's first-half opener at the Wham Stadium, following a largely scrappy contest lacking in style and quality.

Colchester boss Danny Cowley made six changes to his starting line-up for their game at Accrington.

(Image: Matt Wilkinson)

Tom Flanagan, Teddy Bishop, Samson Tovide, Jack Payne, JK Gordon and Mandela Egbo all started, with Goodliffe, Harry Anderson, Arthur Read and Aaron Donnelly dropping to the bench, Milton Oni missing out through injury and Bradley Ihionvien leaving the club to join Peterborough United, on transfer deadline day.

It was a scrappy first half at the Wham Stadium, with little in the way of quality.

Accrington were quicker to grow into the contest and squandered a decent opportunity in the 15th minute when Farrend Rawson slid in to meet Shaun Whalley's dangerous inswinging free-kick but could only stab wide in the six-yard box.

But the hosts did go ahead, ten minutes later.

Kelsey Mooney got in behind the U’s defence and planted a smart finish past goalkeeper Matt Macey from close range, after Whalley had done well to set him up with his incisive pass.

It took time for Colchester to find any rhythm and tempo to their play but they saved their best period of play until the final minutes of the first half.

They almost equalised in the 42nd minute when Egbo advanced from near the halfway line and into the Accrington area before unleashing a shot which was turned away by Accrington goalkeeper Michael Kelly.

(Image: MATT WILKINSON)

And the U’s went close again on the stroke of half-time when Teddy Bishop's effort from close range was well saved by Kelly, as the visitors went in at the break behind.

Taylor was sent on for his U's debut at half-time for Hopper but Accrington came close to doubling their lead early in the second half when Macey turned away Jimmy Knowles' low effort for a corner.

Knowles' shot off balance flew wide of the target for the hosts soon after and despite making several changes, the U's struggled to carve out clearcut goalscoring opportunities.

But they finally got back on level terms in the 85th minute through Goodliffe, who fired in from close range after Kelly had only parried away Read's strike into his path following Payne's corner.

The game was halted soon after when Samson Tovide made his way to the touchline looking visibly distressed, following an alleged racist remark from the home end prior to a corner.

When the game got underway again, Accrington had a golden opportunity to win it in stoppage time when Whalley somehow blasted a golden chance over for the hosts from three yards.

Whalley then sent an effort over deep into stoppage-time, as the U's claimed an away point.

MATCH STATS: COLCHESTER UNITED: Macey, Egbo, Flanagan, Hunt (sub Anderson, 65), Iandolo, Woodyard (sub Read, 55), Gordon (sub Edwards, 55), Bishop (sub Goodliffe, 75), Payne, Hopper (sub Taylor, 46), Tovide.

Substitutes: Donnelly, Smith.

Accrington Stanley: Kelly, Love, Awe, Rawson, Whalley, Quirk, Walton (sub Batty, 86), Conneely (sub Woods, 69), O'Brien, Knowles (sub Khumbeni, 63), Mooney (sub Costelloe, 86).

Substitutes: Henderson, Hunter, Crellin.

Referee: Tom Reeves.

Goals: Colchester: Goodliffe (85). Accrington: Mooney (25).

Bookings: Accrington: Awe (foul, 2), Love (foul, 45), Rawson (foul, 75), Walton (foul, 84), Woods (foul, 86).

Sending off: None.

Attendance: 1,956 (262 U's fans).