Sammie Szmodics came off the bench to score a late equaliser for Colchester United and earn them a 1-1 draw at Cambridge United.

Szmodics had only been on the pitch for eight minutes as a second-half substitute when he converted Brennan Dickenson's from close range to level for the visitors, in front of more than 1,400 Colchester fans who had made the trip from Essex.

It was Szmodics' first appearance for Colchester's first team since December 10, on his return from ankle surgery.

Colchester head coach John McGreal named an unchanged side for the club’s first competitive game at Cambridge in more than 15 years.

The visitors were once again without Richard Brindley, who failed to shake off a calf strain in time to face Cambridge.

However, Sammie Szmodics was on the bench after recovering from a long-term ankle injury while Macauley Bonne was also among the substitutes after returning from his loan spell at National League side Woking.

Colchester were without more than a dozen first-team players due to injury, with the latest absentees Kurtis Guthrie and Craig Slater who are out for the rest of the season.

Dickenson’s far post header from Owen Garvan’s cross bounced just wide in the opening minute while at the other end, George Maris’s long-range strike warms the gloves of goalkeeper Sam Walker after good play by Luke Berry in midfield.

Colchester had their penalty claims rejected in the tenth minute when Dickenson’s shot hit a Cambridge defender’s hand in the area.

But McGreal’s side fell behind in the 20th minute when on-loan Nottingham Forest striker Gerry McDonagh was afforded room in the area to chest down and blast a shot past Walker and inside his near post for his first senior goal, following George Maris’s cross.

Colchester came close to equalising on the half hour when Cambridge’s experienced defender Leon Legge made a fine last-ditch challenge on Dickenson in the area to prevent what looked a probable goal.

But at the other end, Harrison Dunk had the ball in the net for Cambridge before the break as the visitors went in at half-time behind.

Liam O'Neil's long-range effort dipped onto the roof of the net for Cambridge in the opening stages of the second half.

And although Colchester sent on Rekeil Pyke for Tarique Fosu just after the hour, Cambridge almost doubled their lead midway through the second half when Luke Berry prodded a weak shot straight at Walker from Piero Mingoia's teasing ball into the area.

Colchester came close to equalising with 16 minutes remaining when Cambridge's former Braintree loanee Will Norris made a superb one-handed save to deny George Elokobi's close-range volley, after Chris Porter had helped Owen Garvan's corner into his path.

And the visitors thought they had equalised when substitute Macauley Bonne tapped home Dickenson's low cross from long range barely two minutes after coming on, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

But soon after, Szmodics helped home Dickenson's cross from inside the penalty area to earn his side a share of the spoils.