HARRY Kewell was delighted to see his Oldham side strike late to secure a 3-3 draw at Colchester.

Conor McAleny slammed in an 89th-minute equaliser from close range to earn the Latics their first Sky Bet League Two point of the season after they had trailed 2-0 and 3-2.

Ben Stevenson and Callum Harriott (penalty) had put the hosts in control at the break and Miles Welch-Hayes restored the lead after McAleny’s penalty and a Carl Piergianni strike had levelled the game.

restored

Latics boss Kewell said: “It’s definitely a game of emotions.

“In the first half, we had an idea of what we wanted to do and in moments we did it.

“But I thought their movement in the first half was excellent and they caused us a lot of problems, especially when they went forward.

“But we changed the formation in the second half and a few things around.”

Debutant Dylan Bahamboula came off the bench at half-time and helped the Latics fight their way back into the game.

“I thought Dylan was excellent,” Kewell said. “He brought something different in funny terms that no-one’s seen.

“It opened up the game and we got back into it very early on in the second half, which was excellent.

“Conor (McAleny) kept his nerve (from the spot) and I felt we were on the front foot then.

“Their right-back got another fantastic goal, but we got the third goal and I’d love to say that maybe if we’d had a little bit longer, we could have maybe nicked it.”

Colchester boss Steve Ball was disappointed his side had not made the most of being ahead.

He said: “It’s a learning curve for all of us, me included.

“I felt in control at 3-2. I know it’s only a one goal difference but I didn’t really feel apart from a couple of skirmishes at the end that we’d concede again.

“It’s just the manner of the last goal that’s a bit sour.

“It’s about decisions in areas of the pitch and that’s where we need that experience at times and that understanding that we were winning the game.

“It wasn’t our best performance in the second half but I thought we were in control of the game.

“It’s about making the right call, at the right time.

“The players are really sore after that as I am – we’ve had 15 or 16 shots, three good goals and enough opportunities to win.

“Where we have to do better is those key moments when we’re under a bit of pressure.”