Harvey Knibbs scored after just five minutes and that set the wheels in motion for another difficult afternoon. Tom Eaves did grab a late consolation but there was no disguising the scale of Nolan’s challenge. Here are our player ratings from Berkshire…
5. Nesta Guinness-Walker
Maybe the amount of minutes he's having to play is catching up with him because his superb form from earlier in the season has deserted him. Both defensively and offensively he was some way from his best... 4.5 Photo: Pete Norton
6. Samy Chouchane
It was not as if he couldn't get in the game and didn't see the ball. He saw plenty of it but his passing rarely hurt Reading. Cobblers are crying out for more creativity and technical quality in possession from their midfielders... 5 Photo: Pete Norton
7. Will Hondermarck
It looked like he was the one playing Smith onside for the second goal and to make it worse he then ambled back. Needs to use his physicality and athleticism more because once again Cobblers were overpowered in midfield... 4.5 Photo: Pete Norton
8. Cameron McGeehan
Since scoring twice against Posh he's barely had a sniff of goal. Cobblers are creating half chances for him, if that, and one of those was skied here. His frustration built and got the better of him with a needless late caution... 5 Photo: Pete Norton