The Trotters manager saw his side dismantled in the derby, and they remain in the relegation zone by virtue of their goal-difference compared with West Ham United's who sit in 17th.

David Dunn made the breakthrough after half-an-hour with a fine finish after a good build-up and then a bizarre own goal from Sam Ricketts sealed Bolton's fate midway through the second half.

Megson said: "I was disappointed the zip did not look there from minute one. I know how far the players are running and we are down on last year.

"That has got to be our starting point in trying to get out of this trouble we are in.

"We have to be organised, hard working, competitive and try and go on from there."

After witnessing the second goal Bolton conceeded, Megson was left angered by his side's defending.

Dunn opened the scoring with his sixth goal of the season and Blackburn then sealed the game when Ricketts headed past Jussi Jaaskelainen, not realising the goalkeeper had taken a walk.

Megson said: "Jussi was not aware Sam was going to get there. But there didn't seem to be any need for Jussi to come. It was comic cuts.

"The first goal was always going to be important. When they scored it took the wind out of our sails."