Notts County boss Neal Ardley says he can take no positives from his team's performance away at Gresty Road and can only thank his lucky stars that results elsewhere have kept his side in the fight.
The Magpies were outfought and outplayed by Crewe Alexandra who romped to a comfortable 3-0 victory.
More than 1,200 supporters packed into the away end in Cheshire but their loyal support counted for nothing as Ardley's fight to keep Notts in the Football League was dealt yet another blow.
"Everything was wrong," said Ardley.
"We worked really hard during the week tactically on how to be good without the ball and what we needed to do.
"I knew that Crewe would be free flowing and rotational.
"We did loads of work on Tuesday on high press, on making sure that we knew how to work them and regain the ball and hurt them when they were open.
"We didn't get near any of it.
"During the week we did it brilliantly, but we weren't playing against Crewe, we were playing against the rest of the squad.
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"Twenty minutes into the game and it was everything that I feared that the game would be.
"It was the game that I did want to happen."
Results elsewhere mean that the Magpies are still only two points from safety at the bottom of League Two, but now they only have four games left to save their season.
"We tried to change things at half-time but it was such a hard day at the office," he said.
"It looks like the boys aren't trying, but they just weren't good enough on the day.
"The only positive I can take out of today are the other results and how many people came and supported us. They were brilliant."
