Opposition view: Reading boss pleased with 'positive point' after Sixfields draw

In a game of few chances, the home side edged the first half as Ben Perry and Dara Costelloe both went close, while Cobblers goalkeeper Lee Burge saved well from Charlie Savage and Jayden Wareham.

Northampton's best opportunity fell to Tyler Roberts in the second half but he was denied by visiting stopper Joel Pereira and then Reading so nearly won it after Nesta Guinness-Walker's red card, Savage side-footing wide with four minutes left.

"It's a positive point for us," said Hunt. "We knew it would be a really tough game. I've watched Northampton’s last few games and they've been at it since Kev’s been in. They're fighting for their lives and we knew they would be right up for it.

"We just needed to find that moment of quality in the final third and I thought we had it when Charlie popped up late on after a good passage of play but it wasn't to be. The pitch was dry and bobbly and it wouldn't quite sit down but that's for us to deal with and we needed to do it better throughout the game, not just when they had 10 men.

"The message at half-time was to play quicker and be cleaner and more efficient with our touches but if we can't play the way we want to, it's important to do the other side of the game and we were defensively sound. We did the basics and fundamentals really well and we'll take it and that makes it a seven point week."