Saturday 19 August 2017 18:19, UK
David Nugent netted twice in the first half as Derby County defeated Sky Bet Championship newcomers Bolton 2-1 at the Macron Stadium.
The only surprise was Gary Rowett's visitors did not score more goals against last season's League One runners-up. And they were ruing missed earlier opportunities when Gary Madine pulled one back for the Trotters in the second minute of stoppage-time.
But it was too little too late for an other wise disappointing Wanderers side, who remain without a win since their return to the second tier.
Derby went ahead with their first notable attack. After eight minutes Matej Vydra played in a low pass towards the six-yard box and Nugent simply guided the ball beyond Mark Howard for a sweet finish. It was the 32-year-old striker's first goal of the new campaign and pricked Bolton's early game optimism.
Nugent, whose career began just down the road in Bury, did not have to wait too long to double his tally. Johnny Russell, already causing problems down the home left, crossed from the dead ball line and Nugent was unmarked to head in from four yards after 21 minutes.
Derby were cutting open the Trotters at will and should have made it 3-0 after 28 minutes. This time Nugent turned provider with a defence-splitting ball for Vydra. The ex-Watford man ran into the area unopposed but his final left-footed shot did not match the approach and Bolton survived.
Four minutes later rampant Derby carved out a fourth opportunity. Andre Wisdom floated over a ball from the right flank and Vydra's left-footed volley from 12 yards fizzed fractionally over the crossbar.
Wanderers were shambolic and Nugent had legitimate appeals for a penalty rejected after clashing with Mark Beevers. Then Jem Karacan was booked for handball after being caught in possession in his own half.
Even right-back Wisdom joined in the onslaught, racing unchecked into the area before scuffing a final left-footed shot beyond an upright.
Parkinson's half-time response was to go like-for-like with his first substitution, taking off Adam Armstrong and replacing him with Adam Le Fondre. Bolton were brighter albeit with a reliance on a long ball up to Gary Madine. But they got lucky when Mark Beevers tripped Russell on the edge of the area. Referee Stephen Martin awarded a free kick but gave the big defender only a yellow card instead of a potential red.
With the Rams in cruise control, Rowett introduced new £5m man Tom Lawrence for a debut after 67 minutes following his arrival from Leicester. Derby keeper Scott Carson went the entire 90 minutes without a shot to save and could do nothing to prevent Madine's late consolation.
Phil Parkinson: "Two weeks ago we played Leeds and conceded a couple of soft goals and we did the same thing today. Against a good team like Derby it becomes a difficult afternoon. You can talk about Derby's movement but the goals were soft from our point of view.
"Both we should have avoided and we gave ourselves a mountain to climb against a good side. The first one came from a throw-in and if you look at the footage and think in five seconds it was going to end up in the back of our net you wouldn't believe it. Simple things like that have got to be done better."
Gary Rowett: "Nugent is a brilliant all-round player for us in the Championship," said Rowett of the 32-year-old former England forward. "Not only can he score goals but his work-rate is tireless. His finishes were great. The first one Matej Vydra crosses and Nugent gets across the first defender with a deft touch.
"The second one was slightly different. Johnny Russell produced some good wing play and Nugent drifted away from the defenders and sensed where the space was. The first 45 minutes were probably the best 45 minutes of football we have had since we came back to the club. Another goal would have put the gloss on it."
