Bolton Wanderers were defeated 4-0 on their travels by Derby County, with a Mason Mount hat-trick and Craig Bryson goal the difference in this Sky Bet Championship clash.
Team News
Manager Phil Parkinson made four changes from the side that started against Middlesbrough in the Sky Bet Championship.
Andrew Taylor and Clayton Donaldson replaced Pawel Olkowski and Josh Magennis, with Will Buckley and Callum Connolly coming in for Craig Noone and Marc Wilson.
First Half
Mason Mount had the first chance of the game, with an effort from distance that was blocked expertly by David Wheater.
Harry Wilson followed up with a speculative effort of his own, but Wanderers defended the situation easily.
Luca Connell nearly worked his way into the box shortly after, but Fikayo Tomori was able to intercept and cleared the ball to safety.
Andrew Taylor caused mischief down the left flank with 20 minutes of the first half gone, as he hooked a cross into the area for Clayton Donaldson to head towards goal – forcing a save out of Rams’ goalkeeper Kelle Roos.
Derby continued to press on, with Martyn Waghorn providing a shot that stung the gloves of Remi Matthews.
With 37 minutes gone, Derby’s pressure finally broke through the resilient Wanderers defence, as Craig Bryson smashed his strike past Matthews from a tight angle.
Minutes before the interval and a Jayden Bogle cross found its way to Mason Mount, who fired at the Whites goal but saw his effort go wide of the mark.
In the time added on, Derby doubled their lead as Mount finished off a through ball that left Matthews stranded to the spot.
Second Half
Derby came out looking strong after the break, with Harry Wilson trying to extend the home side’s lead only for a Wanderers defender to block his second attempt.
Mount nearly had his second for the afternoon in the opening stages of the half, with his curled effort finishing just wide of the target.
However moments later, the Chelsea loanee had his second goal.
A Tom Lawrence cross into the penalty area found the midfielder, who scored from close range.
Martyn Waghorn found space on the 18-yard-box, before firing at goal and forcing a double save out of Matthews.
Luca Connell stepped up with a free-kick with 16 minutes to go of regulation play, but the young Wanderers effort finished inches away from the target.
With eight minutes left of this clash, Derby added a fourth and it was a hat-trick for Mason Mount.
Ashley Cole played a perfectly weighted pass through to the attacking midfielder, who slid the ball past Matthews.
Wanderers fought hard until the end but couldn’t find a goal as the referee blew for full time.
Full Time
Wanderers XI: Matthews, Taylor, Beevers, Donaldson, Ameobi (Noone 72), Buckley (Little 60), Connolly, O’Neil, J. Williams, Wheater (C), Connell.
Unused subsitutes: Alnwick, Oztumer, Wilson, Magennis, Pritchard.