Colchester United boss Danny Cowley on Salford City draw

Brad Ihionvien came off the bench to score a 75th-minute equaliser for the U's from fellow substitute Matt Jay's pass to cancel out Matt Smith's first-half opener for the Ammies, at Moor Lane.

Colchester's third successive draw means they remain five points above the League Two relegation zone, with 12 games remaining.

READ MORE: Match report as Colchester play out third successive 1-1 draw

Cowley said: "The subs came on and I thought they made a really big difference.

"Young Bradley does what young Bradley does - every time he comes on the pitch he finds a goal.

"It was a great moment for Brad and with his pace and athleticism in behind, he's going to be a hell of a player and we have to enjoy him while we've got him.

"I have to credit John Akinde and Tom Hopper, because they put so much work in today and they were a really good foil for him.

"John in terms of softening the Salford back four in the time he was on the pitch and Tom just working so hard and also coaching Bradley on the pitch, as well which is really good to see.

"I thought Manny (Egbo) came on and was excellent, MJ (Matt Jay) came on and interlinked well, with only had half an hour in Arthur (Read) which was a tough decision, because he wanted to play but on medical advice really, it was too much of a risk.

"He's had calf injuries and on these heavy pitches, it wouldn't have been the right decision to play him from the beginning.

"We now have 12 games left and if we have Arthur Read for ten of those games, then we're going to be just fine.

"It was a real challenge for the group, because we had all four wingers out injured.

"But it's no good feeling sorry for ourselves; we have to adapt and find solutions."

Colchester started the game well, with Cameron McGeehan brilliantly denied by Salford goalkeeper Alex Cairns and Noah Chilvers also going close.

READ MORE: Salford City 1 Colchester United 1 - as it happened

But their first-half performance faded and they fell behind to Smith's goal, just before the break.

Salford might easily have gone ahead after the break and Smith had a goal disallowed for offside but the U's finished the contest strongly, with their substitutes ultimately making a difference.

"I thought we had a really good way into the game, started really well, coped with their direct play," added Cowley.

"I thought we were able to make the first pass and enjoyed some really good control and rhythm.

"We had some good chances early on to score, especially as the away team with that much momentum and then from that point onwards, I thought we got into a fight.

"We ended up going too quickly forward, rather than the way we were in the early phases when we were getting the ball down and making the first pass.

"Noah Chilvers had such a brilliant way into the game and really helped us get the control that we wanted.

"In the middle part of the game, I didn't like it.

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"They scored with their first shot on target which was really disappointing and came at a really disappointing time.

"There were too many second balls in the middle and square heads in the defensive line and we should stop the cross and we don't.

"It was a really bad time for them to score and then I thought we came out in the second half and I don't feel like we played with the technical detail.

"It wasn't the players' work ethic or their energy or intensity; it was just technical detail.

"With a couple of throw ons, we're not throwing it to feet, we're throwing it to people's earholes, firing in crosses into the box so that someone has to take a touch and then the moment's gone - these little technical details were an issue to us and stopped us finding the rhythm that we wanted."