Michael Skubala’s men will hope to take home three points back to Sincil Bank in the penultimate away game of the season as City travel to Berkshire to face Reading on Good Friday.
Reading Form
The Royals have enjoyed a significantly improved 2024-25 season, currently sitting sixth in the League One standings and on course to qualify for the playoffs. Reading have taken 69 points from their 42 league fixtures, with 19 wins, 12 draws and 11 defeats, leaving them three points clear of seventh-placed Leyton Orient with only four games left to play.
Noel Hunt, who took charge in December 2024 following Ruben Selles’s departure to Hull City, has led Reading to a superb run of seven wins, seven draws, and only one defeat in their last 15 matches, leaving them in fantastic form going into the final league games. The Royals do also have favourable fixtures, with all four sides between 11th and 21st in the table, and they will aim to get off to a winning start to their run in when they face Lincoln City on Friday.
Reading are currently in strong form, having only lost one game in their last 15, but an upsetting 0-0 draw against Northampton Town has left the Royals realising they might have a lack of firepower. With only champions Birmingham City and promotion-chasing Wrexham having a better home record in 24/25, the Royals are excellent on their own turf, having amassed 46 of their 69 points this season at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. Noel Hunt’s team have won three of their last four games at the Madjeski and haven’t suffered a home loss since January, meaning any result Lincoln can nick tomorrow will be a good one.
Team News
Reading are on a roll heading into this match, and Hunt may try to keep it going by naming a similar starting line-up. Harvey Knibbs is the Royals leading scorer in League One, with 14 goals in 39 appearances, and the winger will be expected to make a difference once more here.
City’s James Collins has been in excellent goalscoring form since joining from Derby County in January, scoring seven goals in 16 league games, and the striker will probably lead the line on Friday. Jovon Makama will miss Friday’s game due to an injury sustained against Charlton Athletic, leaving Collins in the attacking line-up with Erik Ring and Joe Gardner. Paudie O’Connor remains suspended.
Reading Predicted XI:
Pereira; Rushesha, Mbengue, Bindon, Abrefa; Knibbs, Wing, Savage; Campbell, Wareham, Ehibhatiomhan
Match Referee
REFEREE: Benjamin Speedie
Linesmen: Kevin Howick and David Harrison
Fourth Official: Paul Johnson
Speedie will travel to the Madjedski Stadium for his 40th fixture of the campaign, with 20 of his matches taking place in Sky Bet League One. In addition to this, he has also taken charge of eleven fixtures in Sky Bet League Two, three in the Emirates FA Cup, and one fixture in the EFL Cup. In his previous fixtures this campaign, Speedie has shown 68 yellow cards, three red cards, and pointed to the penalty spot on five occasions.
Previous Meetings & Facts
After winning the reverse fixture 2-0 in December last year, Lincoln City will be looking to record just a second league double over Reading after the 1976-77 season. Despite this, the Imps have a good record against Reading in league, with our last loss coming in November 1998.
Reading are unbeaten across their last six league games played on Good Friday, conceding a goal or less in each of those matches. Lincoln have lost each of their last three away Football League games played on Good Friday, losing their last away game 3-2 vs Portsmouth at Fratton Park in April 2022.
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