Danny Cowley saluted Kyreece Lisbie after he stepped off the bench to rescue a point for Colchester in their 1-1 draw with Tranmere.
Lisbie netted an 87th-minute equaliser for the U’s when he collected Jack Tucker’s pass and curled a superb shot into the top corner, for his first professional goal.
Colchester had trailed for much of the game after Tranmere had taken a 15th-minute lead through Connor Jennings, who swept a low shot past Matt Macey from close range after Cameron Norman had headed Richie Smallwood’s pass into the area.
U’s boss Cowley said: “It will be the first of many goals for Kyreece because that kid, wow.
“The great thing about him is that he just wants to run.
“Kyreece has so much energy and enthusiasm for the game and he has a very exciting future.
“We’re certainly pleased with the way that we finished the game.
“I thought the boys that came onto the pitch gave us the energy and intensity and enthusiasm that we want to play the game at.
“We were really able to pin them back and have complete dominance of the game but we’re just disappointed with the first half, because that wasn’t us – it was so boring.
“We don’t want to play like that and it felt like we played so slowly with the ball.
“Credit to Tranmere – they’re a well-organised team and they came and sat behind the ball but we kept coming underneath the ball.”
Omari Patrick twice came close to doubling Tranmere’s lead before half-time and the visitors were the better side in the first half.
But Colchester improved in the second half and looked more threatening after the break.
Tranmere boss Andy Crosby said: “I was delighted with the defensive resolution of the team and all of the players who were on the bench.
“We defended our box really well and restricted them to very limited chances.
“They were in the ascendancy and had control of the game for the majority of it but we’ve come here on the opening day of the season and picked up a point.
“What it does give us is that connection, because when you’re a new group you don’t know that much about each other both on and off the pitch yet.
“Those things will come and grow hopefully, when you’ve got that desire to try to not get beat and not to give chances in your own box it gives you a lot to build on, so I’m delighted from that aspect.
“With the ball, we weren’t very good so there are things for us to get better at but in game one, we’ve got a point on the board.”
