Derby County 4-1 Bolton Wanderers

Johnny Russell fires Derby ahead from long range

Bolton Wanderers' relegation to League One was confirmed by a heavy defeat at promotion-chasing Derby County.

Johnny Russell's 30-yard effort put the Rams ahead, before Tom Ince's volley doubled the lead before half-time.

Jacob Butterfield's deflected shot and Russell's close-range finish, either side of Zach Clough's consolation from the penalty spot, made sure of the win.

Bolton, without an away victory this season, have not played in the third tier of English football since 1992-93.

They looked bereft of confidence, having been in the Championship relegation zone since the start of October, and could have easily been six or seven goals down by the break.

Derby midfielder Will Hughes made his return from a knee injury suffered on the opening day of the season at Bolton

In a campaign featuring only one win before Christmas, Wanderers had a brief upturn in results in January and February, but are now without victory in 11 matches.

Derby, on the back of Tuesday's 4-0 win against play-off rivals Hull, were at their fluent best as Ince, Cyrus Christie and Craig Bryson all had chances to put the game beyond Bolton's reach in the first half.

Clough's spot-kick - after Mark Davies was fouled by George Thorne - prevented the Rams from winning a fifth straight home game without conceding a goal, a feat unequalled by Derby since 1925.

But it made no difference to the result as Bolton's 23rd league defeat of the season moved the hosts up to fourth in the table.

Bolton's season of turmoil

Asides from the problems on the pitch, Bolton's relegation caps a tumultuous season behind the scenes, including staff wages being withheld, a winding-up petition issued and a takeover completed.

Former Celtic boss Lennon left Bolton Wanderers on 15 March

Manager Neil Lennon left the Macron Stadium by mutual consent last month, with academy boss Jimmy Phillips put in temporary charge.

They were also £172.9m in debt, but it is believed the majority has been written off by former owner Eddie Davies.

Bolton's slide into the third tier comes just over a decade after they finished sixth in the Premier League and qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history.

They now need one point from their remaining five games left to avoid the ignominy of equalling the lowest-ever points total in the Championship, Blackpool's 26 last season.

At least we still have a football club - Phillips

Derby head coach Darren Wassall:

"After beating Hull on Tuesday, the message to the players was we have to do this all over again on Saturday and that it was going to be even harder because of the expectation.

"The most pleasing thing was, from the very first minute, our attitude, application, desire and passion and everything you need in football was there.

"We have a motto that talent alone is not enough and the last two games have shown that because we've won the games through our character and determination and earned the right to play.

"Having Will Hughes back was the icing on the cake. But I don't want to take the attention away from the performance of the rest of the players because they were magnificent from start to finish."

Bolton Wanderers caretaker manager Jimmy Phillips:

"This has just confirmed the sort of season the club's had. The only positive thing we can say is that we still have a football club because, at one stage during the season, that was looking very doubtful.

"Today was another very poor performance and that's something we will be working hard at on the training ground between now and the end of the season.

"It's one thing losing but there's a manner in which you might not gain a victory and that's been the hugely disappointing thing from my point of view.

"In four games, we've only scored penalties and in three of those games after half an hour we've given ourselves a mountain to climb - 2-0 down at Bristol City, three at Reading and then this."