A LAST-GASP penalty denied Colchester a deserved share of the spoils at high-flying Tring after the visitors had fought back valiantly from 15 points down with three second-half tries, writes EDWARD MARRIAGE.

While the Blacks were disappointed to lose at the death, and discipline was again an issue with too many penalties conceded, the 23-20 result means they picked up a try bonus point for a fourth consecutive match.

Graham Hay started at lock and Essex University student Dylan Read, who’s impressed for the seconds, made his debut at blindside.

In the backs George Liversidge and Luke Rokomoce started at centre and wing respectively, with Connor O’Reilly on the bench.

Kicking-off on a pitch with a freakishly-pronounced side-to-side slope, Colchester went ahead inside six minutes, full-back Jimmy Mpailane crossing for his fourth try in four starts.

But the league’s second-placed team then took control, fly-half Ben Criddle catching the visitors’ defence napping for a try converted by Ben Hogan.

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With centre Adam Thomas in the bin for a “team yellow”, Colchester saw so little of the ball they may have been relieved to turn round only 7-5 down.

Ross Taylor departed with a thigh injury to be replaced by O’Reilly as Tring extended their lead through two Hogan penalties.

And when Criddle scored a converted try to put the hosts 20-5 ahead nearing the hour, things looked ominous for Colchester.

Ed Parry replaced Matt Mellish at scrum-half and Alex Mitchell, who’d made way for brother James in the first half, returned for Joe McMillan.

The turning point came when Tring lost one man, then a second, to the sin-bin. Colchester’s forwards sniffed an opportunity, their rolling maul suddenly an unstoppable weapon.

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Three times they crossed the line only to be held up on each occasion.

It was fourth time lucky as captain Sam Easton touched down, a process he replicated one minute later.

A break by O’Reilly was stopped illegally and from the resulting penalty and line-out Colchester set up yet another rolling maul, this time James Mitchell getting the touch.

All square at 20 points apiece with five minutes left the referee awarded Tring a scrum penalty just inside their own half.

They kicked towards Colchester’s line, getting a further penalty for off-side which Hogan never looked like missing.

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Colchester head coach Craig Burrows said: “It was good to see the boys keeping their heads up even after we’d conceded a few points. Silly points from silly errors.

“But Tring are a top-two team and to come here and compete and get within three points, that’s very positive.”

Colchester have now scored 18 tries in their last four matches.

Burrows added: “That’s such a major positive for us. Every week we’re going out there and showing we can score tries.

“We left some points out there, but every week we’re building.”

Colchester go fifth in the league with their toughest assignment up next: a home match against run-away leaders Westcombe Park on Saturday week.

Dylan Read - described as “very impressive” by Burrows - was named Colchester’s man-of-the-match on debut.

The Ravens collected five points as their opponents Cambridge conceded.

Colchester's thirds won 41-5 at Braintree and the fourths beat Bury 36-24.

Colchester: Mpailane, Rokomoce, Liversidge, Thomas, Taylor, Lewis, Mellish; McMillan, Butler, A Mitchell, Hay, Easton (c), Read, Kerr, Whiteman. Reps: J Mitchell, Parry, O’Reilly.