Jon Brady reflects on 'very tough night' for Cobblers against Bolton

Wanderers dominated from the moment John McAtee fired them into a sixth-minute lead at Sixfields on Tuesday, with George Thomason making it two midway through the first half.

Eoin Toals added a third after the break and Dion Charles scored a fourth before stoppage-time headers from Tom Eaves and Jon Guthrie gave Northampton something to cheer.

"It was a very tough night,” said Brady. “We've stepped on and with the high line we play, they have carved through us and played it around the back early with aggressive runs through.

"The first goal comes early and that's really punished us and then the second one comes from a quick restart and we don't adjust our line and they get through us again.

"That's 2-0 and it's too easy for them to get in. We did have some chances but their goalkeeper made a couple of good saves and that was a bit of a repeat from Saturday.

"But the goals we gave away were too easy and the difference at this level is the forward players. A lot of these teams have spent a lot of money on strikers and you see the two that start for Bolton and the two that come off the bench.

"That's a big difference and it gives them so many attacking options but we were beaten by the better team on the night."