NO-ONE thought Wanderers’ Championship return would be easy but never before has the class gap looked this wide.

Torn to shreds by a Hull City side fresh from Premier League relegation, there is plenty to ponder for Phil Parkinson over the international break.

Jarod Bowen scored twice for the Tigers, Adama Diomande and the sublime Kamil Grosicki adding the others in the 4-0 defeat – as one-sided a contest you could ever wish to see.

The last time Wanderers played on a Friday night in Hull, it was en route to promotion in 1993, a game remembered by just about every Bolton fan of that vintage. There was to be none of the drama of Boothferry Park here, though, as Leonid Slutsky’s side picked up a comfortable three points.

Fingers will inevitably be pointed once again at formations. Parkinson continued with 3-5-2 but pushed Reece Burke to the right-hand side of the defensive trio in an effort to use his greater mobility.

Will Buckley was the only change from the side beaten by Derby County, coming in as the more advanced of the central midfielders.

Darren Pratley was the man to miss out and could have few complaints. The club captain’s form had dipped over the last couple of weeks.

Parkinson had a tough time in charge of Hull, describing the experience as the biggest disappointment of his managerial career. It is hard to imagine he had a tougher half an hour on that very touchline that he managed last night.

Within the space of 29 minutes the Whites boss had seen Jem Karacan limp off and three goals put past his shell-shocked side.

Often before such a mauling you can point to a moment where a different decision might have meant an entirely different outcome. Parkinson may feel David Meyler’s clattering challenge on Karacan warranted stronger punishment than a yellow card.

Moments later and Josh Cullen got caught on the ball by Michael Hector – and the big defender set away a swift counter attack, Grosicki crossing for Diomande to slam home from eight yards.

Polish international Grosicki was on a different plane in the first half, and produced a sumptuous cross with the outside of his right foot for youngster Bowen to head the second.

Wanderers had again been caught down their right – Burke not looking like a man comfortable with his new position.

And just 10 minutes later it was three, Grosicki helping himself this time after dancing through Burke and Dervite on the edge of the box and wrong-footing Mark Howard.

The unassailable lead allowed the home fans to launch into a lyrical tirade against their owner Assem Allam. Even a genius like Mick Ronson would have a hard time summing up Wanderers’ own messy boardroom in song form. In between Hull’s goal collection, Karacan had been forced off and replaced by Pratley – who himself had a shot saved by Allan McGregor’s legs in a rare foray forward into Tigers territory.

Parkinson brought off Buckley at half time for Derik Osede in an attempt to bring some physical presence to his midfield, which had been decimated to that point. The Spaniard had been unlucky not to feature from the start but his arrival at the break said more about Wanderers’ need to stem the bleeding than any great hope of getting back into the game.

To their immense credit, the travelling fans sang on. They were intent on enjoying their Friday night, even if the football wasn’t going to help matters.

Parkinson changed things further 10 minutes into the second half, bringing on Adam Le Fondre for Josh Cullen and switching to a 4-2-3-1 formation.

That may be a sign of things to come after the international break, as with David Wheater and Sammy Ameobi on the comeback trail the Wanderers boss may finally be able to move away from the shape which has produced decidedly mixed results in the early portion of the campaign.

Hull rarely threatened with the same menace they had shown in the first half, nor did they need to, but the Whites did make a case for looking more comfortable with a four-man back line.

They extended the lead with a couple of minutes left on the clock, young striker Bowen springing the offside trap to finish well for his second.

Wanderers had only half-chances to repair some of the earlier damage, Adam Armstrong having a late blast beaten away by McGregor at his near post, then Fil Morais seeing another effort tipped over by the Hull keeper.

Rather than give the supporters something else to occupy their minds in troubling times, the result only compounds the concern circling the club at present.

Here’s hoping by the time Wanderers reconvene after the international break and with the transfer window closed there is something to raise the spirits on and off the pitch.

Match ratings

Wanderers (3-5-2): Howard 5; Dervite 4, Burke 4, Beevers 5; Morais 5.5, Cullen 4, Buckley 4, Karacan 5, Taylor 4; Armstrong 4, Madine 5.

Subs: Pratley 5, 15 (for Karacan), Derik 6, 46 (for Buckley), Le Fondre 5, 58 (for Cullen).

Not used: Alnwick, Little, Robinson, Wilbraham.

Hull City (4-2-3-1): McGregor; Aina, Dawson, Hector, Clark; Meyler; Mazuch, Bowen, Larsson, Grosicki; Diomande.

Subs: Kingsley 76 (for Clark), Toral 79 (for Meyler), Weir 85 (for Grosicki).

Not used: Mannion, Batty, Luer, Lenihan.

Referee: Oliver Langford.

Attendance: 16,207.