Dilan Markanday gave Chesterfield a first-half lead but Colchester hit back to level eight minutes from time following a goal from substitute Ben Perry.

“The game should have been over at half-time – so much in the ascendancy, so many chances, shots, crosses in the box…” Cook said.

“Credit to Colchester, especially for the way they just kept going (in the) second half and putting it on us. They probably put a little bit more pressure on our back line, the way we were having it very easy in the first half.

“We had big chances. I’m always going to support the players but I’m probably as frustrated as the fans are, as I’ve probably ever been managing a club.

“I’m looking at a team that’s got balance, that’s got good players, that can create chances, that can defend well for long, long periods. Yet the lads at the back are getting punished for one moment, and that’s really tough on them.

“I feel there’s just an undercurrent in our stadium of not-niceness. Listen, that’s football. If fans want me, that’s the nature of the game. It doesn’t bother me. I’ve been in football long enough to know.

“But I certainly know what shouting and abusing people does or supporting and cheering does. And I know what my world is.

“It’s a really disappointing night for us because it’s tinged with so much sadness and unhappiness, yet at times it promised to be so good.”

Colchester boss Danny Cowley praised the resilience and determination shown by his team, who had a golden chance to win the game when Leon Chiwome hit the bar in stoppage time.

He said: “It was, I think, a really good night for the club. Playing the best team in the league, in my opinion. Really well coached, got really good players, play with such ball speed, ask a lot of questions of you.

“I love the resilience, the determination and the fight that the group showed, particularly in the second half. I thought we played with an intensity and a passion and courage and belief, and that is what we expect from our teams.

“We never know when we’re beaten, we’ll always go to the end, and we could have won it at the end, couldn’t we? We could have won it, we have a golden chance and we just don’t quite take it.

“Really good team (Chesterfield), by far the best team we’ve played this season. And for us to stay in the game like we did at times, some emergency defending, put our body on the line. I thought we played really well.”