Manager Paul Hegarty issued an apology to the Montrose fans for the inept performance of his side as they crashed to a 5-0 drubbing at home to Annan.
The Gable Endies gifted their opponents numerous goals and the Borders side took full advantage, with the win taking them back into the play-off places.
Montrose drop to second bottom place, 10 points ahead of East Stirlingshire with 15 points to play for.
Hegarty said: “Every player was a shadow of themselves today and when that happens that is the kind of result you get.
“For the last 11 weeks we have been very good, but things came home to roost today.
“We still have a lot to play for and a lot of work to do to preserve our place in the SPFL. I can’t defend my players.
“They have to get back to what they are good at and make sure they don’t give up easy chances.”
Montrose went close on 11 minutes when a volley from Gary Fraser was well saved by Jordan Hart.
Annan scored on 21 minutes. Jamie Clarke was judged to have handled and Peter Weatherston scored from the spot.
Fraser was then denied by an instinctive save from Hart before Clarke was short with a passback right on half-time and Weatherston accepted the gift.
Annan made it three on the hour-mark as Matty Flynn ran at the home defence and beat Jordan Millar at the second attempt.
Six minutes later, Hart somehow kept out a close range Chris Templeman header.
It was four on 69 minutes as Millar made a fine save from Lewis Guy only to leave Josh Todd with an empty net to score.
With 90 minutes on the watch, the home misery was complete. Todd went on a solo run and hammered the ball high into the net.