Colchester United striker Matt Jay said that his new manager Danny Cowley watched 100 Swindon Town corners in preparation for their game.

Swindon led 2-0 after 45 minutes on Saturday courtesy of a Charlie Austin penalty and Tom Brewitt firing home from close range to net his first goal for the club before the visitors came back and scored from corners during first- and second-half stoppage time to come back and earn a draw.

In the second minute of first-half stoppage time, the U’s took a corner quickly as Swindon were still lining up before the ball was whipped into the near post where Jay was in position to flick a header into the far corner.

Then deep into second-half stoppage time, Colchester crowded Lewis Ward in the centre and he fluffed his punch into the path of Conor Wilkinson to backheel in the last-gasp equaliser at the back post.

Jay said after the game that Cowley, who was appointed Colchester boss on Thursday, had done an immense amount of planning to help his new side earn a point on his first game in charge.

He said: “Well they [Danny and Nicky Cowley] both said that they watched 100 of Swindon’s corners yesterday.

“I don’t know how late they stayed up too, but I don’t think that it was a quick decision [joining Colchester], I think they thought about it for a long time and they felt like it was a good fit.

“They had to do their homework and today that showed and hopefully it shows going forward.

“I couldn’t really see [the second goal] because I was on the bench, but we wanted to stick it on the goalkeeper, especially so late on as you never know what can happen.

“So that was a pleasing way to go and get a point.”