It was honours even as Lincoln City and Reading drew 1-1 despite two disallowed goals at the LNER Stadium.
The Imps took an early lead through a fortunate own goal, and kept their advantage until a Harvey Knibbs equaliser in the second-half.
It was the first time City had faced Reading this millennium and they were second-best throughout an afternoon dominated by flashpoints. It was a game that could’ve secured a third consecutive league clean sheet for the home side, something they haven’t managed since January.
The Royals were struggling in SkyBet League One, sitting second bottom with financial worries and anger towards their ownership. They had failed to record a clean sheet in their last 13 games before this pre-Christmas trip to Lincolnshire.
Michael Skubala made five changes from the team that crashed out of the Bristol Street Motors trophy in midweek, among them Ted Bishop replacing an injured Ethan Erhahon.
First-Half:
The two sides switched ends before kick-off, but it made no difference to Lincoln City, as they broke the deadlock in the third minute. Ted Bishop worked the ball down the right, before delivering a cross that took a deflection off Reading centre-half Nelson Abbey and ended up in the back of his own net.
The visitors looked to respond, but Lewis Wing curled his free kick just outside the post from 25 yards out.
They thought they had their equaliser in the 12th minute as Lasse Sorensen bunbeled the ball into his own net. Andy Yiadom drove a low cross into the centre of the Imps box, where Paul Mukairu and Lasse Sorensen were trying to get a touch on it. Sorensen nudged the ball past Lukas Jensen, but referee Robert Madley judged that Mukairu had pushed him.
Madley didn’t call for a foul immediately, but he halted the Reading celebrations a few seconds later
After an even period of play, which saw some Lincoln promise and a couple of squandered counter attacks for the visitors, Reading had the ball in the net again.
However, it was again disallowed.
This time by the linesman’s flag, after pinball in the box just prior to the half-hour mark. The lively Lewis Wing swung-in a dangerous free-kick that was rebounded to the edge of the area. Yiadom struck a strong half-volley, before the ball proceeded to bounce around a congested box. The Royals got the final touch at the back post, but the linesman had his flag raised before the back of the net had a chance to ripple.
It was a game lacking chances, but full of flashpoints. Robert Madley hasn’t been card-shy this season, branding an average of over five a game. Reading’s Nelson Abbey had gone into the book for stopping a Makama led counter attack and Dylan Duffy saw a yellow card for a rash, sliding tackle, before Imps goalkeeper Lukas Jensen was booked for time wasting, in the 40th minute.
Ruben Selles’ side were feeling hard done by at the break, with two goals chalked off by the officials. Jensen had been the busier of the two ‘keepers, and discounting the own goal, Lincoln had yet to manage a shot of any sort. The Royals had been knocking on the door ever since the early deadlock breaker and managed to get on the front-foot despite their lowly league position.
Second-Half:
The second-half started in slower fashion, but Lincoln City managed their first shot of the game. Sorensen worked the ball well before joint top-scorer Danny Mandroiu sliced an effort wide of the post.
Reading found their fully-deserved equaliser in the 55th minute, as Harvey Knibbs finished off his tenth of the season. He received a perfectly weighted through-ball from Jereil Dorsett, before slotting the ball past Jensen.
The other side of the hour mark, former Southampton caretaker boss Selles made a double change. Ben Elliott and Charlie Savage replaced Paul Mukairu and Michael Craig as the visitors sought to take three points back to Berkshire.
It had been a second-half devoid of Imps chances, much like the first, but Ted Bishop provided a spark in the 65th minute. He wiggled back three of four Reading men before pulling his shot just wide of David Button’s net.
Then, another flashpoint in a game punctuation by them. The referee brandished a red card to the Royal’s head coach Selles, after he kicked the ball away as the Imps were preparing for a throw-in.
After a Reading dominated first-half, the game had descended in a slow, trudging affair after the break.
The Imps had a great opportunity to retake the lead in the 75th minute as a Mandroiu free-kick evaded everyone and made its way to Bishop at the back post. The midfielder slid in, but couldn’t divert the ball into the visitor’s net.
The visitors were knocking on the door, with Wing having the best chance of the latter stages. Lincoln were posing a threat at the other end, but were unable to provide a winning touch.
Knibbs had a chance late-on weaselling through the City defence and forcing a good Jensen stop. The Dane produced a stunning save just a moment later as Jeriel Dorsett rose highest from a corner.
Lincoln City 1-1 Reading:
Lincoln City and Reading were forced to settle for a share of the points, as an early own goal was cancelled out by a second-half Harvey Knibbs equaliser. The Imps struggled to stamp their authority on the game, despite Reading’s lowly league position.
Michael Skubala’s unbeaten league run extended to five games, but the home side would’ve been counting themselves lucky at full time to have escape with a point against a resilient Reading side.