Gloucester City boss Mike Cook admitted his side were nowhere near good enough in their 4-0 defeat at Chester City.
They got off to the worst possible start at the Deva Stadium as Danny Livesey’s long ball forward from the halfway line caught the wind and flew into the back of the net with George Waring doubling Chester’s advantage inside four minutes.
Fabien Robert hit the bar for Gloucester but Bradley Jackson made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time and Akwasi Asante added Chester's fourth in second-half stoppage time from the penalty spot.
Gloucester had won their first two away games against Blyth Spartans and Kidderminster with this defeat seeing them drop down eight places to 14th in the early National League North table.
Cook said he and the players were left “deflated” after the game.
“We wanted to keep that away run together but there was nowhere near today,” said Cook.
“It was one of those performances. I don’t think we’ve had a game where we’ve turned up and everybody’s played not to the level where we expect but all 11, 12, 13 of them not good enough.
"We’ve been a good run away from home so it probably had to come to an end.
“There’s no dramas about it, we’ve just got to take it on the chin. They were better than us in all departments so no complaints.
“We just have to be a little bit better and pick them up, start again Tuesday and then go again Thursday and get ready for Boston on Saturday.”
Gloucester were without striker Marlon Jackson at Chester and Cook hopes he will be fit for their home game against Boston at the Jubilee Stadium in Evesham on Saturday.
