Reading were hit for five at promotion-chasing Bolton Wanderers in a comprehensive 5-2 defeat at the Toughsheet Stadium.

Aaron Collins grabbed a hattrick and former Royal Jon-Dadi Bodvarsson grabbed himself a brace in a dominant display from Ian Evatt’s Trotters.

Lewis Wing did give his side hope in the first-half, firing home from distance to draw the sides level shortly after the half-hour mark. Paul Mukariu pulled a second back deep into stoppage time to reduce the deficit.

In front of a bumper crowd for their ‘Community Day,’ with more than 24,000 in attendance, it was no surprise to see the promotion chasers start fastest. Their right-hand side caused the Royals no end of trouble, with a warning cross coming nine minutes in from Josh Dacres-Cogley which flashed across the face of goal.

Within 60 seconds, the ball found its way infield from the left and Collins curled a shot past Joel Pereira from the edge of the box. With 80 minutes remaining, it looked set to be a long afternoon with Reading offering little.

 On 22 minutes, the advantage should have been doubled when a dominant Bolton hit the woodwork. Tyler Bindon’s soft back header was intercepted by Collins, but the New Zealand international tracked back well and managed to prevent Collins’ effort entering the net, with some help from the post.

Paris Maghoma was the next to come close, firing a deflected strike narrowly wide, before Pereira was forced to lunge low to save George Thomason’s distance strike. However, a nervy crowd were yet to be fully convinced with the Trotters, and the Royals began to grow into the tie after the half-hour mark.

Femi Azeez and Sam Smith both came close before Wing, with the help of a deflection, thundered the Royals level out of a nothing shot from 30 yards out. You could hear a pin drop in the stadium, bar the 1,300 travelling supporters at the other end of the stadium.

 Looking set to head into the half-time break level, Reading were the masters of their own downfall in stoppage time as Amadou Mbengue fouled Collins in the box and gave away a stonewall penalty. The Wales international stepped up and calmly sent Pereira the wrong way to ensure they took a deserved lead into the break.

Looking to make up for their sloppy end to the half, unfortunately Reading found themselves even further behind within minutes of the second half starting. Losing possession in midfield, the Wanderers drove down the right and Bodvarsson was found in the box with the simple job of tucking past Pereira.

 With the game over, Bolton took their foot off the gas and Reading began to build themselves back into the tie. Wing tested Coleman from a free-kick, and on the hour mark the Royals thought they had pulled one back through Jayden Wareham, only for the offside flag to go up and cut celebrations short.

Clinton Mola and Azeez both tested Coleman in a spirited 10-minute spell, but the result was put beyond doubt when Collins grabbed his hattrick from a scramble in the box.

Mukariu, off the bench, bundled the ball home deep into stoppage time to cut the deficit to two.

However, Bolton had the last laugh as Bodvarsson grabbed his brace with seconds remaining.

Reading remain in relegation danger heading into the final five fixtures of the League One campaign, hosting in-form Lincoln City on Saturday at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.