Sheffield Wednesday lost ground in the race for automatic promotion after they were held to a draw at Colchester.

Wednesday are now four points behind Sheffield United in second place with three to play after Miguel Angel Llera's second-half equaliser.

Colchester took an early lead when Ian Henderson poked a low shot past keeper Stephen Bywater from close range.

But Llera levelled from close range while Steven Gillespie almost won it for Colchester.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Colchester manager John Ward told BBC Essex:

"If we don't match them we get beaten. We said last week, if we play like we did at Bury, we get beaten quite convincingly.

"And we haven't. We've responded yet again. I can't praise my players enough, I get annoyed when they slip below the quality line but today they've bounced back.

"We took a little bit of a chance with Henderson and Gillespie at the top of the pitch, but their movement and their annoyance of the big fellas was something I wanted from them."

"There's a real good approach from my team today and a response from last week, so I've got to be pleased."

Sheffield Wednesday manager Dave Jones told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"It's a difficult place to come and it's a sloppy goal to give away. I just thought a little bit of quality in good areas of the park let us down today.

"If you start sloppy then sometimes you'll pay for it and that's what happened today.

"That little bit of quality in areas in front of goal just seemed to be missing today."

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (3)

Colchester

  • 01 Williams
  • 04 Okuonghae
  • 18 Eastman
  • 20 Wilson
  • 25 White
  • 10 Izzet Booked (Odejayi - 74' )
  • 14 Bond
  • 22 Wordsworth Booked
  • 27 Duguid
  • 09 Gillespie Booked
  • 16 Henderson (O'Toole - 88' )

Substitutes

  • 03 Rose
  • 06 Heath
  • 08 O'Toole
  • 11 Sears
  • 15 Odejayi

Sheffield Wed

  • 43 Bywater
  • 02 Buxton
  • 04 Batth
  • 06 Semedo
  • 13 Beevers
  • 32 Llera Booked
  • 08 Lines
  • 11 J Johnson
  • 27 Antonio
  • 14 Madine
  • 31 Ranger Booked (O'Grady - 72' )

Substitutes

  • 01 Weaver
  • 21 D Jones
  • 07 Prutton
  • 16 Jones
  • 09 O'Grady
Ref: Boyeson
Att: 6,643

Match Stats

Shots

6 19

On target

3 5

Corners

1 5

Fouls

8 8

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:14 Full time

Full Time The referee blows for the end of the match.

90:00 +3:00

The referee blows for offside. Direct free kick taken by Ben Williams.

90:00 +1:39

Corner from right by-line taken by Anthony Wordsworth. Effort from deep inside the area by Anthony Wordsworth misses to the left of the target.

89:36

Jermaine Johnson has a shot on goal from outside the area which misses left.

87:22 Substitution

Substitution John-Joe O'Toole is brought on as a substitute for Ian Henderson.

83:30

Effort from 20 yards by Jermaine Johnson.

83:30

Jermaine Johnson takes a shot.

81:24

Effort from the edge of the area by Jermaine Johnson goes wide of the right-hand upright.

78:16

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Karl Duguid by Lewis Buxton. Free kick crossed by John White, Jose Vitor Semedo makes a clearance.

77:47

Miguel Angel Llera has a headed effort from close range and clears the bar.

74:54

Jermaine Johnson produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the target.

73:31

Free kick taken by Lewis Buxton.

73:31 Substitution

Substitution Kemal Izzet leaves the field to be replaced by Kayode Odejayi.

73:31

Karl Duguid gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Miguel Angel Llera.

72:20

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Chris Lines, free kick awarded for a foul by Miguel Angel Llera on John White. Ben Williams takes the free kick.

71:31 Substitution

Substitution Nile Ranger goes off and Chris O'Grady comes on.

71:10

Steven Gillespie has an effort at goal. Save made by Stephen Bywater.

70:25

Free kick taken by Brian Wilson.

70:25 Booking

Booking Miguel Angel Llera receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.

70:07

Unfair challenge on Ian Henderson by Miguel Angel Llera results in a free kick.

69:24

Lewis Buxton restarts play with the free kick.

69:24 Booking

Booking The referee shows Kemal Izzet a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

69:13

Michail Antonio fouled by Kemal Izzet, the ref awards a free kick.

68:20

Gary Madine gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tom Eastman. Direct free kick taken by Ben Williams.

65:05

Michail Antonio produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the goal.

63:31

The official flags Karl Duguid offside. Stephen Bywater restarts play with the free kick.

61:55

Ben Williams takes the free kick.

61:55 Booking

Booking Nile Ranger receives a yellow card.

61:39

Unfair challenge on Brian Wilson by Nile Ranger results in a free kick.

61:02

Andy Bond takes a long range shot clearing the crossbar.

60:03

Outswinging corner taken by Chris Lines, Close range headed effort by Michail Antonio goes wide of the left-hand post.

59:15

Inswinging corner taken by Chris Lines, save by Ben Williams.

57:24

Corner taken by Chris Lines from the left by-line, Close range headed effort by Nile Ranger clears the crossbar.

57:01

Shot from 6 yards from Steven Gillespie. Stephen Bywater makes a comfortable save.

55:22

Centre by Chris Lines, Gary Madine has a header from inside the six-yard box and clears the crossbar.

53:55

Direct free kick taken by Chris Lines.

53:55 Booking

Booking Anthony Wordsworth is cautioned.

53:00

Karl Duguid gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Michail Antonio. Free kick crossed right-footed by Chris Lines, save by Ben Williams. Jermaine Johnson fouled by Anthony Wordsworth, the ref awards a free kick.

51:16

Chris Lines provided the assist for the goal.

51:16 Goal scored

Goal - Miguel Angel Llera - Colchester 1 - 1 Sheff Wed Miguel Angel Llera grabs a headed goal from close in. Colchester 1-1 Sheff Wed.

50:33

Free kick awarded for a foul by Brian Wilson on Gary Madine. The ball is delivered by Chris Lines,

46:36

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Karl Duguid by Danny Batth. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Karl Duguid from left channel.

46:01

Effort on goal by Chris Lines from just inside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the target.

45:01

The referee gets the second half underway.

45:00 +2:14 Half time

Half Time The referee calls an end to the first half.

44:30

Gary Madine has an effort at goal from outside the area which goes wide right of the goal.

44:11

Nile Ranger takes a shot. Ben Williams makes a comfortable save.

43:31

Free kick awarded for a foul by Steven Gillespie on Michail Antonio.

43:30

Free kick taken by Lewis Buxton.

43:30 Booking

Booking Steven Gillespie booked.

34:42

Kemal Izzet fouled by Jose Vitor Semedo, the ref awards a free kick. Kemal Izzet produces a cross, Headed effort from inside the area by Tom Eastman misses to the right of the target.

31:39

Short corner taken by Michail Antonio.

27:45

Michail Antonio is ruled offside. Ben Williams takes the direct free kick.

22:01

Jose Vitor Semedo gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Anthony Wordsworth. Free kick taken by Ben Williams.

21:37

Drilled right-footed shot by Chris Lines. Brilliant save by Ben Williams.

18:55

Nile Ranger takes a shot from 6 yards.

18:55

Nile Ranger takes a shot.

17:18

Tom Eastman gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Nile Ranger. Centre by Chris Lines, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Gary Madine misses to the left of the goal.

16:09

Gary Madine takes a shot from 25 yards. Ben Williams makes a comfortable save.

15:28

Michail Antonio is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Tom Eastman takes the direct free kick.

13:53

Steven Gillespie is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Miguel Angel Llera takes the direct free kick.

11:33

Ian Henderson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Lewis Buxton. Stephen Bywater takes the free kick.

10:59

The assistant referee flags for offside against Gary Madine. Direct free kick taken by Ben Williams.

9:53

The official flags Ian Henderson offside. Stephen Bywater takes the free kick.

7:07

Gary Madine takes a shot. Ben Williams makes a comfortable save.

6:19

Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Miguel Angel Llera misses to the right of the target.

2:53

The assist for the goal came from Steven Gillespie.

2:53 Goal scored

Goal - Ian Henderson - Colchester 1 - 0 Sheff Wed Ian Henderson grabs a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Colchester 1-0 Sheff Wed.

0:00

The match gets underway.

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