The U's recorded their second successive 2-2 draw in a match dominated by refereeing controversy at Layer Road.

Referee Andy Hall dished out two red cards - one to each side - and two penalties to the visitors to deny the home side a victory.

For they had fought back from going behind to the first spot kick to take the lead, only to be denied by a controversial late penalty award which pegged them back.

And it was the match official who would be the talking point as the fans headed home after the game.

The U's made just one change to the starting eleven that had drawn with Sheffield United a week ago.

With Clive Platt suspended, Kevin Lisbie passed a fitness test to be included and Adam Virgo provided some extra strength in depth on the substitutes bench.

The visitors started well - whilst they were not posing a direct goal threat, they were retaining possession well and taking the sting out of the traditional strong home start.

The U's burst into life on the ten minute mark, as a clever flick over the top almost sent in Lisbie, who appeared to be being held back in the box by Souza as he tried to get onto the ball as it dropped to ground.

The home team were in gear by now and although Sheringham had had a quiet start to the game, he found time and space on twelve minutes to drive in a low shot that was well blocked.

The quarter hour mark saw the U's make the most of a corner that didn't clear the first man.

It spun up from Johnson's boot and McLeod and Lisbie both went close to getting an effort on target before the linesman pulled the latter up for offside.

The U's were bossing possession in the first quarter of the game, but just lacking the quality ball into the area once they had worked good positions.

The visitors got a rare sight of goal when Howard's free kick into the box took a deflection and Ferenczi's low effort was blocked.

Werling then drove narrowly over when another set piece on the edge of the box was blocked, the U's looking a little nervous at the back.

That came to fruition when Gerken spilt a ball on the edge of the box.

The ball ran away from both the U's man and Odejayi, and as Baldwin swept up, the referee pulled up Gerken for a foul and sent him off.

It was arguable whether Odejayi would have got to the ball, but the U's man had to trot off - Lisbie being sacrificed for Cousins to make his senior debut.

The U's youngster got within inches of the spot kick, flinging himself to his right as Howard tucked home the spot kick.

The U's crowd were incensed and they were less than impressed when the referee waved away a Colchester appeal for a spot kick as Sheringham was blocked by Souza once again.

The officials went some way to redeeming themselves when Ferenczi was booked for a dive on the edge of the box.

Down to ten men and with Lisbie off the pitch, the U's were reliant on the wide men to push on a bit more and Yeates had a shot from distance dragged wide on 38 minutes.

Jackson then delivered a dangerous free kick that McLeod just beat the keeper to, but couldn't deflect it past the Barnsley shot stopper.

Werling was at the heart of many of the contentious incidents and went into the book two minutes before the break for a foul on Yeates down the wing.

The U's fans were baying for a red, but the German's card was marked by the referee and the U's knew they could target that flank in the second half.

But it was from down the other side that the U's pulled level.

Yet another lung busting run down the left from Elokobi saw him drive in a low cross to the near post and Sheringham took the chance, dashing across his man to plant the ball in the back of the net.

The veteran had taken some grief from the visiting fans and relished his chance to celebrate in front of the Tykes support - although he gained a yellow for his efforts.

The half finished with the officials dominating matters again, with Jackson going in the book - but the U's fans didn't care, they were delighted their side were level.

The U's started the second period back on the front foot, and they took the lead just three minutes after the restart.

From a Jackson corner on the right, the ball swung in at the near post and the ball went in off Kozluk with Connolly also in the mix-up as the ball headed home.

It was all going horribly wrong for the Tykes and, not long after the U's had taken the lead, Reid saw red for an elbow on Sheringham. The centre half had done similar in the first half to McLeod, but this time the ref saw it.

Werling was then given a stern talking to by the referee after he obstructed Duguid down the right and the visitors were rattled at this point.

The visitors made their first change on the hour mark, with McCann and Togwell coming on for Werling and Johnson for the latter part of the game.

The U's were still a goal threat - Jackson had taken over corner kick duties from Yeates and they were causing problems, with Connolly again getting in at the back post and nearly extending the U's lead.

Cousins was called into action for the first time midway through the second half, as he was quick off his line to smother at the feet of Togwell.

It was no doubt a nervy afternoon for the youngster making his debut and his fellow defenders praised him as he collected the ball safely.

At the other end, McLeod dug out a cross that was straight at the keeper, whilst Togwell sent over a dangerous ball himself that just eluded three Barnsley heads.

The U's made their first change not long after. McLeod had injured himself making the cross and Guttridge was introduced into his place for the final 20 minutes.

In an attempt to get back into it, the visitors made another change with fifteen to go, as Christensen came on for his debut in place of Ricketts.

The U's were still creating chances, though, and Izzet dived in for the ball from a Yeates cross, only to be blocked off by his man.

Having played an extra twenty minutes with ten men, the U's were starting to tire, but were holding their defensive shape.

They went close with around ten minutes remaining as Jackson swung in a free kick that the keeper collected at a stretch at his near post.

There was a nervous moment for the U's not long after as a cross was swung in from the right and Ferenczi powered a header just wide - Cousins having no chance as it flashed past his post.

The referee threw himself back into the spotlight once again, though, giving a penalty as Jackson charged down the ball - it was controversial as it seemed to hitthe U's man on the back.

Again, there was little that Cousins could do, as Howard sent him the wrong way to make it 2-2.

Duguid then got in at the other end as the U's sought an immediate riposte, but he dragged his shot wide and the linesman spared his blushes with an offside flag.

Sheringham then nearly repeated his feat from the first half, as he got on the end of an Elokobi cross, only for his effort to be blocked.

The striker got on the end of the corner, but could only see it cannon off his thigh as it went high and wide.