THIS was 90 minutes of football that proved not so much a grounding exercise as the League One equivalent of an ice plunge bath.

Sure, the scoreline reflected a close game between two teams separated by one place in the play-offs, who had battled to a stalemate just a few short weeks ago at the University of Bolton Stadium.

But even the most partisan Wanderers follower among a passionate and raucous 3,200-strong travelling contingent would accept that their team were soundly beaten by a team that looked on a different level to their own.

Paul Warne has brought his Rotherham United blueprint with him to the Rams – the squad he inherited already filled with fit, work-hungry players, many of whom have Championship pedigree, now organised into an effective unit which had not been beaten in their previous 18 games.

The club has a Premier League class stadium and while last year’s administration means they are still saddled with EFL transfer restrictions, their big wage budget gives Warne plenty of options in the final nine days of the transfer window, should he decide to chase the top two.

Wanderers had managed to match Derby’s aggression on December 27, lacking only a finishing touch in front of goal. Their performance at Pride Park managed to fall short of expectation in every other conceivable way.

Derby were quicker to the ball, stronger in the tackle, braver in possession. They led from the 16th minute when Jason Knight beat George Johnston to the ball on halfway, Korey Smith then spraying a pass out to Tom Barkhuizen on the right, and his cross turned in by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing ahead of the covering Will Aimson.

The Rams pressed high, David McGoldrick particularly effective in the central role, which unsettled the distribution of Bolton’s back three and, in particular, keeper James Trafford. As they looked further down the field to pick out Dan Nlundulu or Dion Charles to launch an attack, the home defenders mopped up nearly everything in the air, switching the direction of attack in an instant.

Wanderers’ midfield three of Kieran Lee, Kyle Dempsey and Aaron Morley struggled to fill the huge holes between defence and attack, not a single one of them making an effective contribution in a one-sided first half.

Nlundulu, making his full debut, at least tried to link up play and win back some territory. He played one good ball for the overlapping Conor Bradley which the Liverpool loanee was unable to collect and otherwise looked the brightest Bolton player until running out of puff in the second half.

Lee also flicked one cross from Eoin Toal on target, with an unmarked and better-placed Dion Charles loitering six yards behind him.

Tom Barkhuizen had one shot blocked on the line by Bradley, Haydon Roberts also heading straight at Trafford from close range, and though Bolton picked up their tempo slightly after half time, there was still no question where the second goal was heading.

Once again, Wanderers failed to get close enough as Smith picked out Max Bird on halfway, he turned to pick out Barkhuizen, and his nudge put Conor Hourihane through on goal to finish left-footed under Trafford.

Bolton’s supporters had stayed impressively upbeat despite what was being served up in front of them – but even their relentless noise quietened somewhat after that.

Evatt had brought on Shola Shoretire for his debut from the bench, the Manchester United youngster finding some space to collect the ball and run at Derby, which might bode well, but it was asking far too much of him to turn the game on his own.

Kieran Sadlier, another late sub, grabbed a consolation goal in stoppage time that hardly registered in any part of the ground. Cutting in from the left wing and finishing right-footed into the bottom corner, his six of the season was almost the last act of a one-sided contest.

But what does the result say about Bolton?

Evatt needs no reminder that his attacking options look stretched following the departure of Amadou Bakayoko, Dapo Afolayan and the injured Jon Dadi Bodvarsson. Both Nlundulu and Shoretire have promise – and it is far too early to judge the success of either loan signing – but, in reality, they will both need time to settle. And time is in short supply.

The Bolton boss does not have the spending power of most clubs at the top of the table but the next signing – or signings – he makes will arguably be the most important he has made during his two-and-a-half years at the helm.

The concern for many supporters is that Evatt’s team have made progression, shown they deserve to be in contention at the top end of League One, but that this sort of test so often proves their undoing.

It is tempting to make historical comparisons – especially to Phil Neal’s side of the late eighties and early 90s who continually found the play-offs an impossible ceiling to break. But there is a lot of football to be played before Bolton reach that level, and anyone should be concerned about coming up against a Derby County, a Sheffield Wednesday or a Plymouth Argyle in the end-of-season shake-down.

At 1-0 down Bolton’s supporters sang with some level of pragmatism: “Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be, we’re going to Wembley!” And that statement too might be jumping ahead, given that Accrington Stanley will be no pushover when the two sides meet in the Papa Johns Trophy semi-final in February.

Recent form was built on an impressive team work ethic, particularly in defence, and one which relies on each component sticking to the gameplan. The performance at Derby – however slender the scoreline may look – is what happens when too many players drop below standard.

Whatever good work Evatt’s side has done in the first half of the season, whatever argument can be made for the progress the club has made, it can all slip into reverse if it is allowed to do so.

Over the next nine days Wanderers, their manager and their recruitment staff need to make every second count.