Elgin City crashed to a thumping 4-1 defeat at Montrose in their Division 3 match on Saturday.
To make matters worse, City had defender Sean Crighton sent off during a miserable afternoon for Ross Jack's side.
Home side Montrose now jump back above Elgin into fourth place and the play-off zone after their convincing win at Links Park.
Elgin lined up without injured skipper David Niven and centre back Jamie Duff while veteran Dennis Wyness was also out.
Top scorer Stuart Leslie came back into the City starting line up from suspension to face a Montrose side which included ex-Elgin loan keeper John Gibson in goal.
Another former Black and White, Montrose striker Garry Wood shot the home club into the lead after just seven minutes, and Stephen McNally headed a second on 18 minutes.
It got even worse for the Moray men just after the half hour when Ricky McIntosh crossed for Dundee loan striker Martin Boyle to shoot home and make it 3-0.
Boyle returned the compliment for McIntosh to drill in a fourth on 63 minutes, and a real thumping looked on the cards for Elgin when former Montrose defender Crighton was sent off for a professional foul which handed the home team a penalty on 78 minutes.
However Elgin keeper Joe Malin saved David Gray's kick to keep the score at 4-0.
The ten men soon pulled a goal back on 80 minutes when sub Paul Millar shot home.
As well as Crighton's red card the visitors had three booked while Montrose had six players yellow carded in a towsy encounter.
It was the first of three consecutive away enconters for the Borough Briggs side, who travel to East Stirling next Saturday and Berwick the following Tuesday.
Elgin: Malin, Morrison, McMullan (Millar 61), Crighton, Harkins, Cameron, Gunn, O'Donoghue (McLean 72), Leslie, Nicolson, Moore. Subs: McKinnon, Beveridge, Black.
