Colchester United 1-1 Port Vale

A Marcus Harness header earned Port Vale a deserved draw at Colchester to continue their improved form under manager Neil Aspin.

Vale almost scored in the opening minute when home goalkeeper Sam Walker denied Dave Worrall, but Sammie Szmodics hooked a first-time effort just wide and then curled a shot narrowly wide soon after at the other end.

Colchester took the lead just after the half-hour mark through leading scorer Szmodics, who latched onto Tom Lapslie's fine pass and broke the offside trap before poking a shot past keeper Ryan Boot.

But Vale started the second half well and Walker pushed away Antony Kay's 30-yard strike, and Lapslie nodded Nathan Smith's header off the line.

Kay's excellent header clattered the crossbar before the visitors finally levelled with 15 minutes remaining through Harness, who nodded in substitute Tyler Denton's cross from close range.

Szmodics nearly restored Colchester's lead immediately afterwards when his shot clipped the crossbar but it finished all square.

Match report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Colchester

• 1Walker
• 2Jackson
• 18Eastman
• 6Kent
• 22Vincent-Young
• 4Lapslie
• 14ComleyBooked at 86mins
• 7WrightSubstituted forMurrayat 76'minutes
• 10SzmodicsSubstituted forHanlanat 89'minutes
• 17ReidSubstituted forJamesat 67'minutes
• 19Mandron

Substitutes

• 16Murray
• 21Hanlan
• 24Slater
• 27Odelusi
• 28Guthrie
• 29Gilmartin
• 35James

Port Vale

• 23Boot
• 5DavisBooked at 39mins
• 24Smith
• 33Gunning
• 8Pugh
• 6Kay
• 10Worrall
• 31WhitfieldSubstituted forDentonat 75'minutes
• 7Myers-Harness
• 11MontañoSubstituted forBarnettat 45'minutes
• 9Pope

Substitutes

• 1Lainton
• 3Denton
• 14Barnett
• 15Forrester
• 19Turner
• 20Kelly
• 32Tonge

Referee:

Nick Kinseley

Attendance:

3,485

Match Stats

Home TeamColchesterAway TeamPort Vale

Possession

Home55%

Away45%

Shots

Home9

Away14

Shots on Target

Home3

Away6

Corners

Home5

Away5

Fouls

Home3

Away7

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Colchester United 1, Port Vale 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+6'

Second Half ends, Colchester United 1, Port Vale 1.

Posted at 90'+2'

Cameron James (Colchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).

Substitution

Posted at 89'

Substitution, Colchester United. Brandon Hanlan replaces Sammie Szmodics.

Posted at 88'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Tom Eastman.

Posted at 88'

Attempt blocked. Tyrone Barnett (Port Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Booking

Posted at 86'

Brandon Comley (Colchester United) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 85'

Attempt missed. Antony Kay (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

Posted at 81'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Nathan Smith.

Posted at 76'

Sammie Szmodics (Colchester United) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.

Substitution

Posted at 76'

Substitution, Colchester United. Sean Murray replaces Drey Wright.

Goal!

Posted at 75'

Goal! Colchester United 1, Port Vale 1. Marcus Myers-Harness (Port Vale) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Tyler Denton.

Substitution

Posted at 75'

Substitution, Port Vale. Tyler Denton replaces Ben Whitfield.

Posted at 70'

Attempt blocked. David Worrall (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 69'

Attempt blocked. Kane Vincent-Young (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Substitution

Posted at 67'

Substitution, Colchester United. Cameron James replaces Kyel Reid.

Posted at 67'

Attempt missed. Marcus Myers-Harness (Port Vale) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.

Posted at 66'

Attempt blocked. Tom Pope (Port Vale) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 63'

Gavin Gunning (Port Vale) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box.

Posted at 62'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Tom Eastman.

Posted at 62'

Foul by Mikael Mandron (Colchester United).

Posted at 62'

David Worrall (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 60'

Hand ball by David Worrall (Port Vale).

Posted at 57'

Tom Lapslie (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 57'

Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).

Posted at 55'

Brandon Comley (Colchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 55'

Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).

Posted at 50'

Attempt saved. Nathan Smith (Port Vale) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the top right corner.

Posted at 50'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Frankie Kent.

Posted at 49'

Attempt saved. Antony Kay (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Second Half

Posted at

Second Half begins Colchester United 1, Port Vale 0.

Substitution

Posted at 45'

Substitution, Port Vale. Tyrone Barnett replaces Cristian Montaño.

Half Time

Posted at 45'+2'

First Half ends, Colchester United 1, Port Vale 0.

Posted at 45'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Tom Eastman.

Posted at 42'

Foul by Kane Vincent-Young (Colchester United).

Posted at 42'

Marcus Myers-Harness (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 40'

Ryan Jackson (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 40'

Foul by Cristian Montaño (Port Vale).

Booking

Posted at 39'

Joe Davis (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card.

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