A late equaliser denied Colchester United a precious victory at bottom club Crewe Alexandra tonight following a 1-1 draw at Gresty Road.

George Moncur gave the U's a 65th-minute lead from the penalty spot but substitute Callum Saunders' last-gasp equaliser from James Jones' corner rescued a point for Alex.

A win would have meant Colchester would have gone into their home game against Burton Albion on Saturday lying six points from safety, with three games remaining.

As it is, there are now eight points from safety and relegation still looks a likely scenario for Kevin Keen's side.

Colchester goalkeeper Elliott Parish was forced to make his first meaningful save of the match on the half hour when he gathered Callum Ainley’s close-range effort well at his near post.

At the other end, Crewe shot-stopper Ben Garratt gobbled up George Moncur’s long-range effort, as both sides began to warm more to the task.

Macauley Bonne and Gavin Massey switched flanks in a bid to help find a breakthrough and the U’s looked the more fluent of the two sides.

But Colchester almost fell behind four minutes before the break when George Ray’s header was tipped over well by Parish.

A disappointing first half finished goal-less though and the U’s knew they needed to show more craft and guile in the final third, in the second 45 minutes.

Alex Gilbey’s low shot tested Garratt just after half-time and Colchester made the crucial breakthrough just after the hour when Moncur, who had a penalty saved against Peterborough United last weekend, confidently stepped up to score from the spot after Ray had tripped Frankie Kent in the box.

Crewe finished the game brightly and Parish made a superb save with five minutes remaining to push away former U’s midfielder David Fox’s free-kick and then reacted well to deny Saunders.

Parish also saved from substitute George Cooper near the end following Tom Eastman's under-hit back pass before Saunders nodded in from a corner in the first minute of stoppage time, to deny Colchester victory.

For full coverage of the U's game with Crewe Alexandra, see Wednesday's Daily Gazette.