TOWN'S players slumped to a miserable pre-Christmas defeat at Meadow Lane having performed as if the weight of the world was on their shoulders.

A 3-1 reverse at the hands of a side that had not won in 13 games spoke volumes for the mental state of the players.

Neil Ruddock started the day by hearing he would not be offered the manager's job and a second half red card did little to lighten his mood.

People can talk about the need for players to be 'professional' and get on with the job, but you would need to be super-human to shrug off the chain of events they have endured during a very painful week.

Malcolm Crosby, also disappointed at losing out on the manager's job, did his best to rally the troops but the spark simply wasn't there against Notts County.

The confident football was gone, passes went astray with alarming regularity and little or nothing was created in attack.

Crosby named the same side that saw off Hereford a fortnight ago, but the spirit appeared to have been sucked out of those 11 players.

The home side started strongly and Bart Griemink had to get down smartly to keep out a low drive from Danny Allsopp in the 4th minute.

The same player then poked a shot wide just two minutes later as Town struggled to get going.

The visitors' woes increased on 10 minutes when Paul Edwards was forced to hobble off with a hip injury after colliding with Griemink. Sol Davis came on although he would later be substituted himself.

Town's first meaningful effort came on 18 minutes when Danny Invincible cut in from the left and thumped a shot just wide of the post.

Bobby Howe was then guilty of wasting a decent opportunity just seconds later.

The midfielder paid the price for not shooting first time from just inside the box and the ball was whipped off his toes.

Former Spurs midfielder Darren Caskey when close on 25 minutes with a cracking drive but it was the visitors who took the lead against the run of play just 60 seconds later.

Wayne Carlisle crossed low from the left, Eric Sabin dummied and it was left to David Duke to crash a shot beyond County keeper Stuart Garden with the outside of his right boot from the edge of the box.

But the Scotsman's second goal of the campaign failed to provide a platform to build on and it was County who continued to look the more menacing.

Ruddock cleared a dangerous Allsopp cross over his own crossbar as the home side pressed for an equaliser.

As half-time approached, Invincible should have done better with a 41st minute strike but County's pressure eventually told three minutes before the interval.

Marcel Cas crossed from the right and James Quinn stole in ahead of Matt Heywood to net past Griemink.

Worse was to follow as the game ticked into first half stoppage time.

Man of the match Adam Willis was harshly penalised for a foul on the edge of his own area by absurdly fussy referee Mark Warren.

Caskey took full advantage by arrowing a terrific strike into the net via the underside of the crossbar.

The second-half saw County carry on where they had left off but the match seemed to have turned Town's way in the 54th minute when Allsopp received his marching orders for kicking the ball into the back of the net after the whistle had gone for offside. It was his second yellow of the night and Mr Warren wasted no time in producing the red card.

A brief Town flurry followed, with Howe (55) and Steve Robinson (56) both failing to find the target from good shooting positions.

Giuliano Grazioli replaced Davis but still Town lacked punch in attack.

Sabin should have done better after charging in from the right flank but crossed too close to the County keeper.

But a poor night turned into a real disaster when Ruddock, already on a yellow card, was bizarrely dismissed after an alleged altercation with Caskey.

Razor's exit effectively killed off Town's hopes and County looked far the happier 10 men.

Caskey whipped a 70th minute free kick into the side-netting but the Magpies sealed the points 13 minutes from time.

Cas fought off two Town challenges before firing past Griemink from the left edge of the box.

Town substitute Paul McAreavey blasted over the top moments later but the closest the visitors came to pulling one back came nine minutes from time when Grazioli lashed a low drive just wide of Garden's left post.

County sub Paul Heffernan almost made it 4-1 with an 85th minute strike but that would have been harsh on the visitors.

This was a bad day at the office. In fact it was the day after the office party complete with raging hangover.

New boss Andy King is going to have to work some magic very quickly if he is not to find himself struggling to conquer a dangerous dose of the County Ground festive blues.

As the team bus pulled away from Meadow Lane, the word 'disgrace; had been etched on the back.

It is not clear whether it referred to the team's performance or the continuing off the pitch saga at the County Ground.