Colchester United manager Danny Cowley did not hide his frustration after his side let a 3-1 lead slip against 10-man Morecambe, resulting in a 3-3 draw at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.
In a match where the U’s had complete control, Cowley was left “angry and disappointed” as Morecambe fought back to secure their first point of the season. Colchester looked to be on course for a routine victory after dominating much of the encounter, but their inability to close out the game allowed Morecambe to mount a thrilling late comeback, much to Cowley’s dismay.
The home side started brightly, with Harvey Macadam seizing on a misplaced pass and creating an early chance, although Colchester goalkeeper Matt Macey was able to gather the resulting cross. The Shrimps threatened again moments later when Callum Jones fired just wide from outside the box.
Colchester’s early pressure wasn’t without its own moments of danger. In the 10th minute, Morecambe keeper Stuart Moore pulled off a crucial save to deny Samson Tovide’s close-range header, keeping the score level. But despite Colchester’s strong start, it was the Shrimps who struck first. Ben Tollitt cut inside from the left and unleashed a powerful low shot that nestled into the bottom corner, giving Morecambe a well-deserved 1-0 lead.
Minutes later, Morecambe manager Derek Adams was sent off from the touchline after picking up two quick yellow cards, leaving the home side without their leader on the sidelines. Despite Adams’ dismissal, Morecambe remained resilient, and Moore was once again called into action to keep out Tovide’s second attempt.
As Colchester pressed for an equaliser, the turning point came just before halftime. Morecambe’s Luke Hendrie was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Owura Edwards, reducing the home side to 10 men. From the resulting free kick, Edwards made the numerical advantage count, heading home at the back post to make it 1-1.
Colchester’s dominance continued into the second half, and it didn’t take long for Tovide to put his side in front. After Moore made an excellent save to deny the U’s initial effort, the striker was on hand to tuck in the rebound from close range, putting Colchester 2-1 ahead.
With Morecambe struggling to keep up, Colchester pushed for a third and found it through Lyle Taylor. The forward converted a well-worked cross from the left, putting the visitors in complete control at 3-1. At that point, it seemed as though Colchester would walk away with all three points.
However, despite being two goals down and a man short, Morecambe refused to surrender. The Shrimps earned a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty in the 82nd minute, with Jones stepping up to calmly convert and make it 3-2. Sensing the momentum shift, Morecambe threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, and in the 87th minute, they found it. Marcus Dackers’ deflected strike found the back of the net, sending the home crowd into raptures as Morecambe completed their comeback.
Colchester had chances to snatch victory in the dying moments, but Harry Anderson’s miss from two yards out in the final minutes summed up their frustrating afternoon.
After the match, Cowley did not hold back in his criticism of his side’s performance.
“I’m pretty angry and disappointed,” he told Gazette News. “I thought it was an erratic performance by us. We had complete control in the game. We were 3-1 up against ten men and cutting through them at will. They had nothing in the game, they get a penalty and that changes the whole momentum I think.”
Cowley was particularly critical of his team’s mentality and consistency, noting their poor start and finish to the match. “It was a really erratic performance by us and you have to remember, in the first 20 minutes we didn’t play well either. We didn’t start well and we didn’t finish well, and when you don’t do those two things, you don’t win.”
The Colchester boss also expressed his frustration at the repeated mistakes that have cost his side points. “Since I’ve been here really, we’ve found some really bizarre ways to drop points, and we’ve done it in so many different ways. We’ve changed a lot of players and last year we were young and a lot of players were living it for the first time, so you could understand, to a certain extent. But we have to take full responsibility for that.”
In a particularly emotional admission, Cowley reflected on the loyalty of the Colchester supporters, many of whom had made the long trip to Morecambe. “The supporters left their house at four or five in the morning, and they were still clapping us at the end, and that made me feel really ashamed actually, because it was such an unprofessional performance.”
Writer’s View
Colchester will be left ruing the points dropped in this match. They looked like the better side for long periods, controlling possession and taking advantage of Morecambe’s defensive struggles. However, their inability to manage the game after going 3-1 up, combined with a lack of composure in key moments, allowed the hosts to snatch an unlikely draw. Cowley’s frustration is understandable – this was a game Colchester should have won comfortably.
The result raises questions about Colchester’s mentality and game management. Conceding twice to a team with ten men is worrying, and Cowley will need to address these lapses in concentration if his side are to compete at the top end of the table. While they showed glimpses of quality, this will feel like two points dropped rather than a point gained.
Founder of The Real EFL, Gary is a passionate Lincoln City fan with extensive content creation across the Championship and EFL. He also shares expert football betting tips.
