A penalty try in the seventh minute of injury time allowed Gloucester to escape with a draw in this tougher than expected Heineken Cup clash.

Home coach Philippe Saint Andre predicted Colomiers would be a difficult side to beat but he could hardly have expected such a jaded performance from his own side.

They led 12-6 at half-time and could have expected to ease to victory in the second half.

Instead an error by Jason Little brought Colomiers a gift try which swung the game when his misplaced chip kick went straight to Bernard De Giusti and he fed Laurent Giolitti inside the Colomiers 25.

The winger was away in a flash and out-paced the home defence to put Colomiers in front.

Worse was to follow and, after Laurent Marticorena had kicked another penalty, Gloucester were always playing catch-up rugby.

It took them until the last desperate minute of injury time to snatch the draw.

Elton Moncrieff had pulled it back to a point behind with a penalty, only for Colomiers to strike again with two more penalties from their fly-half.

At 22-15 down and playing poorly, Gloucester looked a lost cause, but they produced their best play in added time.

The French side gave away a series of penalties in those final minutes before conceding the penalty try which Byron Hayward converted.

Penalties had dominated the earlier play, with Moncrieff landing five for Gloucester and Marticorena claiming 17 points for Colomiers with his four penalties, a dropped goal and a conversion.