The Exiles headed to Swindon with the intention of reacting strongly to their 4-1 loss to Port Vale but instead produced a performance that was worse.
With the fixture kicking off early at 12.30pm for Sky Sports, it was game over before 1pm after a nightmare start for County.
Kabongo Tshimanga got things going in the fourth minute, Paul Glatzel headed in a second after 18 and Matt Baker put into his own net under pressure in the 21st.
Wales Under-21 international Joel Cotterill scored just before halftime, capitalizing on a fantastic save by Nick Townsend to kill any small aspirations of making a game of it.
There were echoes of that Walsall away game from last season in this one as County was the team to have fun and finish ahead of schedule.
These talking points were shaped by the chaotic first forty-five minutes, making the second half a non-event.
OUTFOUGHT AND LETHARGIC
The pledge to avoid kneejerk reactions until October was seriously tested in Swindon, so abject was this performance that it’s only natural to be alarmed.
County were given a drubbing by a side who are unlikely to be among the leading sides in the division once it settles down.
They were second best all over the park and not only were there serious weaknesses in defence but they produced just one moment of note in attack.
That proved to be a turning point with Aaron Wildig, who had been found by a terrific Courtney Baker-Richardson pass, denied by a superb block just seconds before the hosts scored their second.
Jack Bycroft had no saves left, and that was the only opportunity the Exiles created.
He was undoubtedly afraid that after ninety minutes of inactivity, he would have to perform a post-game workout if he looked at his goalkeeping coach in the changing room.
Despite having 48% of the possession in the attacking third, County was unable to generate any momentum and was outmuscled throughout the whole field.
It doesn’t matter what style is being played, teams must win their one-on-one battles and the Exiles came out second best too often.
There was no snap or tenacity and the sight of Cameron Antwi, a 22-year-old with potential, treading water in pursuit of an attacker in the first half was alarming.
He certainly not the only one and County were lucky that Swindon, like Port Vale seven days earlier, failed to really twist the knife in the second half.
SET PIECES AND CROSSES
County have a rejigged defence but they were vulnerable to balls into the box even before the injuries and suspensions.
The opener came from a set piece that wasn’t cleared despite the chance for Noah Mawene to put a boot through it, the second was from a cross that caught Cameron Evans flat-footed, the third from another set piece when Will Wright was bafflingly given a free run, the fourth was a rebound after Nick Townsend made a superb save from a cross.
These departments were also exposed in the defeats to Cheltenham and Port Vale.
Once again, this isn’t down to the desire to play enterprising football, it’s because of failure to do the nuts and bolts.
That being said, County undeniably lack physicality and the player who looks most at home when defending balls into the box is striker Courtney Baker-Richardson.
BIG SQUAD BUT DEPTH ISSUES
Tuesday’s EFL Trophy game against West Ham’s youngsters should be a chance for fringe players to push for League Two starts but there are precious few options for Barrow in key areas.
Owner Huw Jenkins took responsibility for building the squad and he has given Jardim a group that is seriously lacking depth in some positions.
County have gone into a campaign with just one specialist left-back; even if Anthony Glennon was Alphonso Davies that would be a gamble.
The number 3 is currently undroppable, regardless of his displays.
It’s dangerous to look back but the current situation would be a lot more comfortable were stalwart Scot Bennett still in the squad rather than at Cheltenham.
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