Reading 1-2 Lincoln City: Player Ratings

The Royals put in a poor showing against now-promoted Lincoln City, as Ross writes.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 6:55pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a soccer match, with overlapping planes of color and shape representing the action on the field.A cubist interpretation of the intense battle between Reading and Lincoln City, capturing the dynamic movements and clashing perspectives of the match.Lincoln City Today

Reading suffered a 2-1 defeat against Lincoln City, with the Imps coming from behind to secure the win. Joel Pereira, Paudie O'Connor, Finley Burns, and Jeriel Dorsett were among the Reading players who struggled, while Lewis Wing scored a late free-kick for the home side. Kamari Doyle had to be substituted early due to an injury, and Will Keane had a difficult outing up front.

Why it matters

This result is a setback for Reading, who were hoping to build momentum after a difficult start to the season. The loss against the newly-promoted Lincoln City raises questions about the team's ability to compete at the top end of the table, and puts pressure on the manager to find solutions ahead of the next match.

The details

Reading took an early lead through a free-kick from Lewis Wing, but Lincoln City were able to turn the game around with goals in the first and final minutes of the match. The home side struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Kamari Doyle's early substitution due to injury proving to be a significant blow. Will Keane also had a difficult game up front, failing to make an impact. The Reading defense, led by Paudie O'Connor and Finley Burns, was unable to withstand the Lincoln City attack, leading to the defeat.

  • The match took place on April 6, 2026.
  • Lincoln City scored the opening goal early in the first half.
  • Kamari Doyle had to be substituted in the 27th minute due to an injury.
  • Lincoln City scored the winning goal in the final minutes of the match.

The players

Joel Pereira

The Reading goalkeeper made a decent block on a cross/shot but couldn't do much about Lincoln City's winning goal.

Paudie O'Connor

The Reading defender seemed a bit off, not commanding the air in his box as well as he can, and was involved in a controversial incident with a Lincoln player.

Finley Burns

The Reading defender made a good sliding challenge in the box early on and recovered well to stop a Lincoln counter-attack, but was booked late in the game.

Jeriel Dorsett

The Reading defender had a fluid positioning throughout the match, often sitting out in a traditional left-back spot during buildup.

Lewis Wing

The Reading midfielder made some good passes in the first half and scored a well-placed free-kick in the final minutes, but also lost the ball a few times to Lincoln's press.

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What they’re saying

“Penny for the thoughts of last season's Lincoln captain as he welcomed the champions-in-waiting to his new home.”

— Ross Webber, Author

What’s next

Reading will need to regroup and find solutions ahead of their next match, as they look to bounce back from this disappointing defeat against the newly-promoted Lincoln City.

The takeaway

This result highlights the challenges Reading are facing this season, as they struggle to find consistency and secure wins against teams they would have expected to beat. The loss raises questions about the team's ability to compete at the top end of the table and puts pressure on the manager to find the right solutions to get the team back on track.