WANDERERS wilted embarrassingly at Edgeley Park, crashing to a 5-0 defeat and dropping out of the play-off positions in League One.

Goals from Will Collar, Kyle Wootton, Fraser Horsfall, Louie Barry and Odin Bailey ensured that Ian Evatt’s dire record against neighbouring teams continued, and that the mood will be one of huge disappointment heading into the international break.

Bolton failed to muster a single shot on target. With the exception of goalkeeper Nathan Baxter – without whom the scoreline may have been even worse – not a single player turned up to a satisfactory standard.

The first half was sadly an all-too-familiar tale for Wanderers, who had 63 per cent possession but who hardly threatened the home goal, playing almost all their football deep in their own half.

Stockport, by comparison, attacked with purpose, isolating Will Forrester and the space in behind Josh Dacres-Cogley early on.

Bolton wanted a fast start, hoping to capitalise on any bruised egos from the 5-0 midweek defeat against Wycombe, but they failed to gain control of the ball in any areas to hurt Dave Challinor’s side.

Josh Sheehan had one effort deflected wide in a rare foray into Stockport territory, otherwise the Whites struggled to get front two Dion Charles or Victor Adeboyejo into the game at all.

Nathan Baxter was back in the side for the first time since picking up a muscular injury at Northampton on October 1 and he managed to push away a Fraser Horsfall header 20 minutes in for what was the first real clear-cut chance of the match.

The Bolton keeper came to his side’s rescue again moments later when Ricardo Santos chased down Kyle Wooton but played a poor back-pass, gifting Louie Barry a chance from close range. The Aston Villa loanee should have scored from close range – but an instinctive hand from Baxter kept the scores level.

Barry had a hand in the opening goal a couple of minutes later, out-pacing Will Forrester and cutting a near-post cross back for Will Collar to drive home.

Evatt needed a reaction after the break. Instead, Stockport doubled their lead within a couple of minutes.

Baxter made another superb save from Horsfall at point blank range but the ball wasn’t cleared and Wootton was able to slot in the second goal of the afternoon.

Just seven minutes later, Horsfall headed home Ollie Norwood’s corner at the far post, once again under little pressure. And at 3-0 down, Evatt looked to his bench, bringing on Aaron Collins and Gethin Jones, the latter making his first appearance of the season.

But the pain wasn’t over yet. Another mix-up on the edge of the box from Jay Matete presented Barry with a wide-open goal, and he was able to pass home his 10th of the season.

Wanderers searched in vain for some consolation. McAtee pulled a cross back, which dropped agonisingly behind Charles and Collins had a decent penalty shout turned down after a rare positive run. To say the Whites deserved any form of respite from the criticism that will inevitably come their way, however, would be crazy.

Odin Bailey completed the rout as stoppage time approached, firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Once the Whites failed to turn up against a local rival, leaving their supporters ashamed.

Some supporters chanted: “We want Evatt out!” as the players applauded them after the final whistle.