NEIL Lennon blasted Wanderers’ defending as they were hammered 4-1 at promotion chasing Derby County.

Tom Ince and Jeff Hendrick scored two apiece as the Rams ran roughshod over the Whites, whose only saving grace was a goal on debut for new signing Filip Twardzik.

Wanderers rarely looked like troubling their hosts but had held firm until the 37th minute, when Ince curled in a superb free-kick.

Hendrick then made it two before the break – and when David Wheater (dead leg) and Liam Trotter (thigh) failed to show after half time, Ince killed the game stone dead with a close range finish within minutes of the restart.

“Up until 1-0 we were fine,” Lennon fumed. “Then we committed suicide.

“The second and third goals were light, half-hearted, and that hasn’t been like us.

“We have to do a lot better. We looked a little bit lightweight in the second half losing Wheater and Trotter to injury but the third goal killed us.

“We shot ourselves in the foot and against a side going for promotion you can’t do that.”

Twardzik headed home Barry Bannan’s free kick to give brief hope but Hendrick then bagged a second for himself, heading home from six yards.

Wanderers have now conceded 10 goals in the last three league games, and with Matt Mills doubtful for Tuesday’s clash with Fulham because of a knee injury, Lennon admits the situation is a worry.

“It’s a concern,” he said. “I’ve got Matt Mills out injured and we’ve gone from being hard to beat to being easy to beat at the moment. We need to get some players back and being more resolute defensively because weren’t today.”

To make matters worse, Lennon felt Derby should have been reduced to 10 men late on after Jake Buxton brought down Adam Le Fondre.

The Northern Irishman remonstrated with referee Ton Harrington after the final whistle and added afterwards: “I just can’t see how the referee hasn’t given a red card. It won’t have mattered in terms of the result, but might in terms of goal difference at the end of the season.”