Colchester United’s new skipper David Fox, given the captain’s arm-band due to Magnus Okuonghae’s long-term injury, and Sean Clohessy being dropped, summed up the sombre mood in the U’s dressing room after Saturday’s 6-0 thrashing at MK Dons.

Midfielder Fox confessed: “It’s a very low point at the minute, and there are a lot of very hurt players in the dressing room.

“We let a lot of people down today, especially the fans who travelled.

“We let the gaffer down and we let each other down. We were poor, all over the park.

“We got what we deserved, which was nothing. We got a battering.

“It’s the first time I have had to say that, in the short space of time that I have been here.

“It’s very disappointing,” added Fox.

The U’s sunk to third-from-bottom of League One, following this fourth defeat on the bounce.