Dion Sembie-Ferris’s strike earned Colchester United under-23s a 2-2 draw with their Ipswich Town counterparts at the Weston Homes Community Stadium tonight.

Sembie-Ferris blasted home just before the hour to bag the U’s second equaliser of the night and ensure them a share of the spoils against their East Anglian neighbours, in Professional Development League Two.

New U’s signing Lloyd Doyley featured for an hour, while Frankie Kent completed the full 90 minutes as he continued his comeback from tendonitis.

Colchester made the worst possible start when they fell behind inside two minutes to David McGoldrick’s close-range strike.

But the U’s responded well and Femi Akinwande shot on the turn flew just wide, before the hosts equalised midway through the first half.

Akinwande followed up to score, after his penalty have been saved.

Ipswich keeper Harry Wright saved from George Brown and Doyley after that before Town restored their lead just before the break through Shane McLoughlin, who headed in after McGoldrick’s effort had come back off a post.

Ipswich went in ahead at half-time but Colchester were back on level terms just before the hour mark when Dion Sembie-Ferris blasted past Wright to make it 2-2.

Diaz Wright then went close to giving Colchester the lead and both sides had chances to win it, as the clock ticked down.

Kent’s header was parried by Wright while at the other end, U’s keeper Dillon Barnes made a fine stop to foil Morris’s powerful shot, as the spoils were shared.

COLCHESTER UNITED U23: Barnes, Ocran, Doyley (sub Peter, 60), Kent, James, Regis, Diaz Wright, Sembie-Ferris (sub Sheriff, 64), Issa (sub Harrison, 83), Brown, Akinwande.

Substitutes (not used): O’Donoghue, Williams.