Two late goals in the space of three minutes saw Colchester United denied victory following a pulsating encounter against Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park.

Luke Norris's brace and Harry Pell's fine strike looked like they had secured the U's victory, at the fellow in-form Latics side.

But Sam Surridge followed up his earlier strike to pull a goal back for the hosts, with five minutes to go.

And Peter Clarke powered home a header to make it 3-3 and deny Colchester victory.

Colchester head coach John McGreal kept the same side for his side’s trip to play Oldham Athletic.

The U’s boss also named the same seven substitutes, for the game at Boundary Park.

Colchester started well and Brennan Dickenson fired a low shot straight at keeper Daniel Iverson inside the opening two minutes, after a promising move.

But Oldham then began to threaten themselves, with Ryan Jackson making an important headed clearance to deny Callum Lang at the far post.

Dillon Barnes then received a bit of a let-off when he raced out of his area and brought down Lang.

The Colchester goalkeeper was booked as a result, with team-mate Frankie Kent covering.

The U’s made the breakthrough in the 15th minute when Norris stabbed home at the far post, after Luke Prosser had helped on Dickenson’s corner.

Oldham were left kicking themselves, especially as the corner had been needlessly given away by Lang.

The hosts responded well to the setback though and Barnes was called upon to make a great save to deny Chris O'Grady soon after from point blank range, after he had been fed in the area by Sam Surridge.

Iverson saved Sammie Szmodics’ low left-foot shot just after the half hour but Oldham finished the first half strongly.

The hosts should really have been level in first-half stoppage-time but Surridge mis-hit his shot from 12 yards after Lang had headed down to him in the area.

It meant Colchester went in at the interval ahead and Oldham made a change at half-time, bringing on Gevaro Nepomuceno for Lang.

But the hosts were unable to prevent the U’s going further ahead, with the second half only five minutes old.

After Kent had made his presence felt in the area following Dickenson’s corner, Pell fired a superb first-time shot past Iverson leaving the keeper no chance.

It gave the U’s a 2-0 cushion but Oldham responded quickly, pulling a goal back nine minutes later.

A mistake by Frank Nouble allowed Andy Taylor space down the Colchester right and he delivered a low cross to Surridge, who slotted in from close range.

But Colchester responded well themselves and had restored their two-goal lead, midway through the second half.

After Pell’s pass had set him up, Norris showed his strength to hold the ball up in the area before blasting a left-foot shot past Iverson and into the net.

But Oldham gave themselves hope with five minutes remaining when Surridge sent a flick header past Barnes from close range from Dan Gardner's free-kick.

And Clarke headed home from Gardner's corner to make it 3-3, with two minutes remaining.

Six minutes of stoppage-time was added on at the end but both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils, following a gripping encounter.