TEN games to go and the season starts here, County are four points adrift of Conference South safety and need to improve dramatically and very quickly.

Probably most of the County faithful who travelled to the Wessex Stadium on Saturday went more in hope than in expectation of getting a result against the league leaders, but unfortunately the players didn't even share that hope and rolled over and died from the first whistle.

This was an abject and desperate showing from Peter Beadle's charges, with the exception of two debutants signed late on Friday night and thrown in at the deep end (who performed admirably) and goalkeeper Tony Pennock (who was magnificent); it was a shameful all-round performance.

It seems astonishing that after slipping to the bottom of the Conference South last week the players would not fight as if their livelihoods depended on it, but where there should have been a roar of defiance, there was barely a whimper.

Craig Hughes ran his socks off in attack without creating so much as a half-chance for himself, Jason Bowen, on the other hand, missed two half-chances and barely attempted a tackle.

Midfield lynchpin Nathan Davies was off the pace, wide-men Gary Fisken and Sam O'Sullivan never got into the game and Ashley Williams doesn't look match fit, and in truth was awful.

At the back it was a case of getting to know you at the worst possible time, Andy Legg and John Brough both made plenty of mistakes in a really tough debut and Paul Cochlin and Ian Hillier were both poor as a result.

It was without question necessary that Beadle drafted in the two experienced defenders, but starting on Wednesday at home to Hayes County must defend much better than they did on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Tony Pennock's performance was beyond reproach; he made a string of fantastic saves and could yet be a key player in the relegation run-in.

The contest against Weymouth was even more one-sided than Joe Calzaghe's sensational win over Jeff Lacy, but unfortunately County failed to match the heart and aptitude for a fight that the vanquished Lacy had, and were hammered as a result.

Pennock had already made two outstanding saves when the home side took the lead in the 11th minute, a long-range shot from Ben Smith rebounded off Brough, County failed to deal with the second ball and striker Raphael Nade crashed home his first of the afternoon.

On 22 minutes Pennock saved well from Nade after a Cochlin error, then on 29 minutes he rescued County again after Legg's mistake let in Shaun Wilkinson.

On 34 and 38 minutes, Pennock acrobatically denied striker Steve Clarke following two headers, with the County defenders more and more resembling startled rabbits caught in the headlights.

A minute before the interval County could have claimed an undeserved equaliser. Cochlin cleverly cushion-volleyed a Fisken corner across goal to the waiting Bowen, but he headed over.

On the stroke of half-time Weymouth deservedly got a second, Clark flicking on Trevor Challis' pass, and Nade was on to it like a flash, smashing the ball past Pennock before the statuesque County defenders had a chance to raise their arms in a misjudged offside appeal.

Pennock made two decent saves early in the second half before Bowen missed a free-header (County's best chance) on 57 minutes.

Five minutes later it was 3-0. Andrew Harris crossed for Nade, who nodded home his hat trick.

Nathan Davies missed with a close-range header as County briefly broke up Weymouth's utter domination, Pennock again denying Nade as well as efforts from Smith and Jackson.

With 12 minutes remaining substitute Chukki Eribenne combined with fellow sub - former Bolton striker Dean Holdsworth - to make it 4-0 as County again failed to deal with a second ball after briefly clearing.

Eribenne could have scored at least twice more, but again Pennock denied him.

The final whistle was a huge relief for County's players, who simply must beat Hayes on Wednesday night, because the season really does start here with just ten games (five at home, five away, remaining).

For Weymouth, one would suspect that being crowned champions will be just the start.

Weymouth: Matthews, Tully, Challis, Downer, Bound, Harris (McGrath 71), Wilkinson, Smith, Jackson (Holdsworth 66), Clark, Nade (Eribenne 71). Subs not used: O'Brien, Lee-Barratt.

County: Pennock, Hillier, Legg, Davies, Brough, Cochlin, O'Sullivan, Williams, Bowen, Hughes, Fisken (Prosser 77). Subs not used: Warton, T Evans, Bater, D Evans. Booked: Bowen (dissent, 53).

Referee: Simon Knapp (Bristol). Attendance: 2,110.