EFL roundup: Lincoln promoted to Championship with win at Reading

Lincoln celebrated promotion to the Championship with a hard-earned 2-1 victory at the playoff chasers Reading as they returned to the second tier after 65 years.

Lincoln, needing only a point, made a bright start and went ahead in the fifth minute through Ryan Oné and seemed destined for a 1-0 win, only for Reading to level in the second minute of stoppage time from a Lewis Wing free-kick. However, Jack Moylan snatched the winner four minutes later, seconds after promotion had been secured by Bolton v Stockport finishing in a 2-2 draw, meaning neither could catch the Imps.

City’s 2,884 fans in the packed away end had plenty to cheer early on when Oné nodded home a Reeco Hackett-Fairchild free-kick, an effort which Joel Pereira should perhaps have saved.

Reading, unbeaten at home in their previous 10 matches, were unable to make any headway against the Imps’ well-drilled defence. Charlie Savage fired wastefully wide in a rare home attack, while the defender Ryley Towler drove narrowly over as the visitors almost doubled their lead.

Lincoln were content to sit back for much of the second period, their job almost completed, as the Royals drove forward relentlessly but fruitlessly. The City substitute Alfie Lloyd headed wide from a Conor McGrandles cross before Reading equalised through Wing’s fine 20-yard free-kick.

In the sixth minute of added time, Moylan slammed home from close range as Lincoln returned to the second tier for the first time since relegation in 1961 and dealt a blow to the home side’s playoff hopes.

Lincoln players leap on their teammate Jack Moylan after his 96th-minute winner against Reading. Photograph: Jacob King/PA

Harry Leonard’s equaliser earned a share of the spoils from a 1-1 draw for Peterborough against second-placed Cardiff, who dropped yet more points in the promotion race. Leonard immediately cancelled out Alex Robertson’s opener for the Bluebirds as their wobble extended to just two wins in eight games, with the gap between them and third – now occupied by Bradford – down to seven points.

Bradford came from behind to beat Wycombe 2-1 at Adams Park, Aden Baldwin’s second-half dealing their play-off hopes a huge boost after Bobby Pointon had cancelled out Andre Vidigal’s opener for Wycombe, who slumped to 11th.

Bolton and Stockport cancelled each other out with a 2-2 draw which in effect ended both teams’ hopes of securing automatic promotion, Ben Osborn’s late own goal earning the home side a point.

Stevenage moved back into the play-off places with a 1-0 win at home to Blackpool, Harvey White firing the winner in the 66th minute to raise hopes of promotion, though seventh-place Plymouth’s 3-0 win at Barnsley kept the pressure on.

Luton kept alive their playoff hopes with a 3-0 win at AFC Wimbledon, Burton picked up a precious point in their battle for survival in a goalless draw at Mansfield, and Wigan took a significant step towards survival with a 3-1 win over Northampton at Sixfields.

Exeter ended a 15-match winless run to give their hopes of avoiding relegation a boost with a 3-0 thrashing of Doncaster while Leyton Orient lost 2-1 at home to Huddersfield, with Ryan Ledson scoring the winner in the 16th minute of added time. Play had been delayed after a clash of heads between Huddersfield’s George Sebine and Marcus Harness.

In League Two, MK Dons failed to take advantage of the leaders, Bromley, not playing as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Oldham, Mike Fondop with a late goal to deny Dons after Marvin Ekpiteta’s opener.

Lucas Ness headed in his first two career goals to put Notts County into the top three following a 3-1 win over relegation-threatened Newport County at Meadow Lane, while Cheltenham dented Cambridge’s automatic promotion hopes after Jake Eastwood’s scored a stoppage-time own goal in a 1-1 draw.

Late goals from Fletcher Holman and Aaron Drinan enabled Swindon to come from behind to beat Walsall 2-1, Salford’s playoff hopes were dented as they went down to a 1-0 defeat at Crewe while Chesterfield won 1-0 at Barrow.

First-half goals from Jaze Kabia and Harvey Rodgers boosted Grimsby’s playoff bid with a 2-0 win at 10-man Crawley, Gillingham were 2-0 winners against Accrington and Ellis Harrison scored twice as Bristol Rovers beat Harrogate 3-2.

Barnet moved to within four points of the playoff places with a 5-2 win at Fleetwood and Tranmere lost 1-0 at home to Colchester.