Ethan Coleman struck in the fourth minute of stoppage time to rescue a League Two point for Orient on Tuesday.

Ruel Sotiriou fired the visitors ahead midway through the second half, only for Colchester to reply with a quickfire brace.

But O's kept battling until the end and got their reward as Coleman claimed his first goal for the club.

Sotiriou, Adam Thompson and Matt Young came in for Aaron Drinan, Theo Archibald and Hector Kyprianou, while Paul Smyth was named on the bench.

And Sotiriou was booked for simulation after going down in the box on nine minutes, after George Ray had blocked a shot from Freddie Sears at the other end.

Alan Judge fired a free-kick over for the hosts, before Sotiriou cut inside and saw a well-struck shot fly just wide.

The lively Sotiriou continued to cause Colchester problems, going on a long run and having a shot deflected just wide after Ray had blocked another effort by Sears.

But play became a bit scrappy late in the first half and O's needed a stunning save from Lawrence Vigouroux five minutes after the restart, before the rebound hit the post.

Harry Smith fired over when Omar Beckles headed the ball down just before the hour and Vigouroux held onto Judge's free-kick moments later.

But O's then took the lead midway through the half when Sotiriou fired into the top corner from outside the box to send the near 1,000 visiting fans into ecstacy.

Their joy was shortlived, however, as Myles Kenlock headed home from a corner to level with 15 minutes remaining.

And things got worse just four minutes later as Owura Edwards latched onto a header from John Akinde and fired into the bottom right corner.

Kyprianou saw a deflected cross palmed over by Shamal George as O's looked to respond, with Smyth's corner picking out Smith, who could not direct his header goalwards.

But Akinde then went through at the other end, but could not find a way past Vigouroux.

Jepthe Tanga came on for his league debut late on, in place of Thompson, and Connor Wood fired into the arms of George from Smyth's short free-kick in the last minute of normal time.

Then another Smyth free kick in the fourth minute of injury time was bundled in by Coleman to earn a share of the spoils and ensure Matt Harrold's men remain three points clear of the relegation zone.

Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, Thompson (Tanga 87), Ray, Beckles, Wood, Coleman, Pratley, Young (Smyth 67), Khan (Kyprianou 56), Smith, Sotiriou. Unused subs: Moss, Ogie, Byrne, Obiero.