Grays' miserable run hit a new low on Tuesday night when they were thumped by perennial Conference strugglers Tamworth.
Through a combination of top notch finishing and woeful defending Frank Gray's men, who have now won just once in eight games, found themselves three down inside the first 18 minutes and never recovered.
They conceded a fourth just past the interval that killed any hopes of a Lazarus-like comeback but managed to salvage some pride with two late goals from Aaron McLean and Adam Green.
Blues' two goals coincided with the introduction of influential skipper Stuart Thurgood, who made his first return since breaking his leg in pre-season.
Thurgood's return is the one positive under-fire manager Gray can take from the game and he hopes his captain's return can lift his troops.
He said: "Stuart makes players play. He talks to others around him and you saw that for the final 20 minutes tonight. Jamie Stuart has been top class but he's a different type of leader. It was a big plus to see Stuart and we need him now to get games under his belt as soon as possible."
Thurgood's recovery should not gloss over what was another depressing performance from Grays who are sliding ever-futher away from the play-off spots.
Tamworth's three first-half goals may have been of the highest calibre but slack defending played its part.
John Martin gave away a silly free kick that led to the first strike, Stuart and Green gave Taiwo Ateino too much space for the second and ditto for the third.
Worst of all was the fourth goal when Dennis Oli let his man go and Bradley Thomas had a free header from six yards.
Ironically enough, Gray might learn more from this game than from any other so far this season.
Going 3-0 down so early was a real test of character and only a handful of players can hand on heart say they stood up to the challenge.
Gray said: "The lads are frustrated, we all are. It's a difficult period for us and we need to pick ourselves up as soon as possible.
"The first 15 minutes here has killed us. We gave a stupid free kick away in the first minute, they score, and that has cost us. Basic mistakes have cost us the game. You cannot legislate for individual mistakes.
"You take away the first 15 minutes and I feel we would have won the game fairly comfortably."
But it made little difference as Grays made the worst start imaginable.
They had barely touched the ball when John Martin conceded a free kick 25-yards out and ex-Dagenham & Redbridge midfielder John McGrath bent his kick magnificently around the wall and past Ashley Bayes.
The Blues stopper got a hand to the strike and may have thought he could have done better but it's difficult to fault a man who has been arguably his side's best player in recent months.
If anything, you have to feel sympathy for Bayes who was left cruelly exposed by a defensive performance that was little better than you would expect from a pub side.
Taiwo Atieno, a man who was rejected by Dagenham at the start of the season, took full advantage of Blues' vulnerability and put the game beyond the visitors with two strikes in eight minutes.
To be fair to the Lambs' striker both were fantastic strikes but on both occasions Blues' defenders backed off to allow him to shoot. First up he out-foxed Green and Jamie Stuart with a cute drag-back and fired crisply past Bayes.
If that strike was impressive, Atieno's second was even better. The ball was played up to Steve Burton on the edge of the box who backed into Stuart before teeing up his strike partner who whipped a wonderful effort past Bayes and into the top corner.
In between those strikes, Dennis Oli went close with a deflected effort and McLean forced a smart save out of a previously faltering Sean Bowles in the Tamworth goal but that was just about it in the way of chances for the shell-shocked visitors.
And things went from bad to worse after the re-start when Oli lost Thomas in the box who headed McGrath's corner past Bayes.
Grays huffed and puffed but until the introduction of Thurgood didn't look like getting anywhere.
The skipper's introduction visibly lifted his teammates and in particular Michael Kightly who began to trouble the tiring part-timers.
Soon enough Blues had reduced the arrears McLean combined with Oli to lash home at the second attempt.
Kightly then should have had a penalty when his burst into the box was ended by Ryan Laight who had a hold of his shorts but referee Mo Matadar inexplicably waved play on.
The deficit was halved in the closing minutes when Green's 20-yard effort rocketed into the top corner but it was all too little too late for Grays who will need to banish this defeat from their memories.
By Ryan Goad
Thanks to the Thurrock Gazette for the report.
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