BEN Garner praised the spirit and togetherness of his Colchester United side after they dramatically fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at League Two leaders Leyton Orient this afternoon.

It looked like the U's would be heading for a fifth successive defeat, after goals from George Moncur and Ruel Sotiriou either side of the break put the O's in command.

But Connor Hall's fine header reduced the deficit in the 89th minute and then Noah Chilvers scored a magnificent equaliser with a superb long-range strike, to secure Colchester a point at Brisbane Road.

U's head coach Garner said: "It's always nice to score late but especially when you deserve it.

"We deserved at least a point out of the game.

"Fantastic spirit, togetherness, we kept going and I thought we were the better side for large spells of the game.

"There was a break in play just after they scored the second goal and we just got the lads in and said 'just get one'.

"Just focus on getting one and if we get one, everything can turn and that proved to be the case.

"It was a brilliant set piece and then a really good goal by Chily - fantastic.

"MJ has almost won it in the dying seconds as well and it was the least we deserved.

"You have to keep going and credit to the lads.

"Their application in training, their intensity, their willingness to work for each other has been top drawer and that's what got us that point and almost three.

"It's a really good platform for us and now we want to build from that."

Gazette:

Colchester had gone behind in the first half when Moncur scored from the penalty spot, after Fiacre Kelleher was harshly adjudged to have fouled Paul Smyth in the area.

Garner was disappointed with referee Ross Joyce's decision to award the hosts a spot-kick.

He said: "It was never a penalty in a million years.

"It's not a foul - he's hasn't pushed him or fouled him and he (Smyth) has gone down very, very easy.

"The ref's position is good and there's no way he should give the penalty.

"I've just seen it back and he literally blows the whistle within a second or two.

"He's got to give himself thinking time but we kept going.

"In the first 20 minutes of the second half I thought we were excellent and we just needed the goal.

"We had good opportunities to get it and didn't take it and then you go 2-0 down against the run of play at that time but we kept going."