Neil Lennon slams Bolton Wanderers display in Derby County defeat

Bolton Wanderers boss Neil Lennon has conceded that his side were "poor" in their 4-1 defeat to Derby County in the Championship on Saturday.

The Trotters held their own for the first 38 minutes of the game, but, once debutant Thomas Ince fired the Rams ahead, it was all one-way traffic as the 23-year-old and Jeff Hendrick notched braces in a dominant win at the iPro Stadium.

"It was a poor performance," Lennon told Sky Sports News. "We were comfortable for 40 minutes, then Tom Ince scores a fantastic free-kick but we didn't deal with the reaction at all well and we shot ourselves in the foot.

"Derby are a quality side at this level and have strength in depth but we looked a bit lightweight in the second half and I'm not happy with the performance today at all.

"I want a reaction as quickly as possible. It's all right the players lifting themselves for Liverpool, anyone can do that but these are the games they earn their living from and we were second best for large parts of this game but you have to give Derby credit."

Bolton are 17th in the Championship table following their defeat to the Rams, seven points clear of the relegation zone.