Essendon has been slammed for its “embarrassing” performance late in its heavy Anzac Day defeat at the hands of Scott Pendlebury’s Collingwood.

In particular, Demons great Garry Lyon has lambasted the Bombers for letting Pendlebury do as he pleased en route to a record fourth Anzac Medal, calling it a “damning indictment” on the club.

Watch every match of every round of the AFL Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1 >

WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.

The 38-year-old Pendlebury produced record-high numbers in his 431st AFL game — a career-best 43 disposals, 19 score involvements, 10 marks and two goals — as the Magpies romped to a 77-point win over the Bombers at the MCG.

Essendon trailed by just 14 points at half-time before conceding 15 second-half goals, including nine majors in the final quarter alone.

“They abdicated their responsibility for what this day is all about, and that is to fight to the end and to scrap,” Lyon began on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Monday night.

“The games in the last three or four outings haven’t been high class, but they’ve been pretty close — but in the last quarter, they just deferred to Collingwood and said: ‘Here, you guys make of this what you want to make of it. You want to celebrate Scott, we won’t go anywhere near him.’

“That’s embarrassing, Gerard. And we know where they’re at. We thought they’d taken a few steps forward, and the first half was a scrappy arm wrestle and they were still in it.”

MORE AFL COVERAGE:

‘NO WAY MEANT TO BE RACIST’: Coach ‘offered to quit’ Saints job after training comment

‘DON’T TELL US THAT’: AFL ripped for ‘rubbish’ claims on ump furore… even the winner knew it was bad

REPORT CARD: Alarm bells for AFL contender’s fail no one saw coming as FIVE bank perfect grade

Lyon said it looked like Brad Scott’s side, which recorded 28 fewer inside-50s and allowed Collingwood almost 100 more disposals, allowed Pendlebury to roam as he pleased in the final term.

“By the end of it, they had handed the game over,” Lyon said.

“There has to be some inner competitiveness amongst your side … we know Essendon fans, and that’s the thing that stings them the most — it was non-competitive. It had no inkling of competitiveness by the end of it.

“There was nothing … senior players, leaders, defenders — I almost got back in the lab … there’s stuff there that looked absolutely horrendous from an Essendon point of view.

“In the last quarter, when Scott Pendlebury was standing in the middle of the ground on his own, it genuinely looked like they said: ‘Let’s celebrate Pendles and let him have this last quarter’.

“That’s what it looked like, and that is a damning indictment on this footy club.”

Gaz reacts to AFL ump ‘clarifications’ | 03:40

Collingwood hadn’t managed to score 100+ points in 15-straight matches, but that streak was blown out of the water last Saturday.

The Pies’ cherry on top came when Pendlebury moved forward and kicked a goal on former Haileybury disciple Archie Roberts with just minutes remaining.

“It’s a bit embarrassing, what’s unfolded here — particularly in this second half for Essendon,” Lyon said on the Fox Footy broadcast on Saturday on the cusp of full-time.

“On this day, where we don’t compare war to sport, but we embrace the spirit of the day. And Essendon haven’t shown much of that … it’s a tough watch right now.”