Colchester boss Matt Bloomfield saluted Kwesi Appiah after the striker salvaged a point for the U’s in a 1-1 draw with Barrow.

Appiah, playing for the first time since December 10, struck from close range in the sixth minute of stoppage time after fellow substitute John Akinde’s effort had been cleared off the line.

Akinde had earlier had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Paul Farman, after Ben Whitfield had put Barrow ahead just after half-time.

Colchester boss Bloomfield said: “It was great to have Kwesi back and he’s a goalscorer – he’s scored goals throughout his career.

“We’re disappointed we haven’t had him more this season.

“He started on fire when I first came in and he’s missed a lot of football but Kwes has got an infectious enthusiasm for life and a real good personality and he can score goals.

“We just wanted one to drop to Kwes and he tucked it away.

“With the missed penalty, we could have easily thought that it wasn’t going to be our day and not come back, so I was pleased we still went and found more chances.

“It was a very stop-start game and we never really got into too much flow.

“We wanted to try and get the ball down and pass it around but the game never really flowed.

“But we have to respect a point against a play-off chasing team.”

Tom Hopper’s header hit a post for Colchester in the first half before Barrow took a 57th-minute lead through Whitfield, who converted Rory Feely’s deep cross at the far post.

Colchester squandered a golden opportunity to equalise nine minutes later from the spot, after Farman had fouled substitute Akinde in the area.

Farman saved Akinde’s spot-kick but Appiah struck late on, to deny Barrow victory.

Barrow manager Pete Wild said: “We were really pleased with the reaction that we got from the players.

“That’s the main thing.

“Any point on the road is a good point and I’m really pleased with that.

“It was a better version of us but we should have scored more goals and we’ve had so many box entries, so that’s frustrating.

“But we’ve stopped the rot and we’re on the way back up.

“To a man, they grafted for the football club and that should be a gimme.

“Unfortunately, it’s been lacking sometimes and we were driving them on from the sidelines to get them over the line – it’s probably the most vocal we’ve been, this season.

“A draw was probably a fair result.

“It was tough to take to concede late on but they (Colchester) had a penalty and missed opportunities.

“It wasn’t a penalty and justice was done, because it was an excellent save.”