Manager Glenn Pennyfather labelled Chelmsford City's performance against neighbours AFC Hornchurch as "inept".
Martin Tuohy, Kieron St Aimie, an own goal and Lewis Smith struck to inflict just a second home defeat of the season on the Clarets.
Anthony Cook made it 3-1 12 minutes from time, but City were unable to mount a fightback and were well beaten, to stay in fourth spot.
Pennyfather said: "Everything was missing tonight. Drive, desire, enthusiasm, ability.
We just didn't have anything about us, and we got what we deserved. I'll make no
excuses for the players.
"We were out-thought and out-fought. I hold my hands up and apologise to the supporters because that was
inept a performance as we've had. I'm bewildered, disappointed and embarrassed.
There was a distinct lack of fight, and I've said to the players that they
should never, ever enable anyone to point the finger at them for not giving it
a real go. But I thought we were second best for the majority of the night."
Cook's challenge on Chris
Bourne early in the match meant the Clarets were up against it from the start,
with Tuohy confidently smashing the
penalty home to goalkeeper Stuart Searle's right.
Searle denied St Aimie an immediate second, but with nine minutes on the clock it was 2-0 when St Aimie competed for the ball in the goalmouth, adjusted his position
and found the bottom corner to double his team's lead.
It was pretty much one-way traffic as Searle had to deny Tuohy, before Smith thumped a free-kick just wide.
City came out of the blocks much better in the second half and Aiden Palmer, Omer Riza and Jamie Slabber combined to set the latter up, but Joe Woolley was able to save well - and Smith almost made it 3-0 after coming in from the right but he shot wide.
The third goal was always going to be decisive and it came for the visitors on 71 minutes when Michael Spencer's cross hit David Rainford in the box and trickled over the goalline.
But Cook did pull one back seven minutes later when his free-kick was deflected through a crowd of players and under Woolley.
However, hopes of a comeback were soon distinguished by Smith, who first saw a free-kick kept out by Searle before collecting Wayne Gray's flick on and rifling a low shot past the Clarets stopper.
David Bridges hit the crossbar late on, but it was a dismal night for the home side and a third defeat in four games.
Pennyfather added: "I don't want to take
anything away from Hornchurch - they did a good job on us, worked
extremely hard and punished us in the right areas. We didn't have an answer to
it. We didn't look sharp at all, lacked that spring in our step and we didn't
have a bite in our tackle. It's cost us, but now we're looking for a reaction.
The great thing about football is that there's the next game, and now we move
on to Bath."