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Apr 06, 2026

Lincoln City clinches historic promotion to the Championship with dramatic 96th‑minute win over Reading

AI Summary
Lincoln City returned to the Championship after a 65‑year exile, beating Reading 2‑1 thanks to early lead from Ryan Oné and a stoppage‑time winner by Jack Moylan. The result, alongside a flurry of other League One and Two fixtures, reshaped the promotion and relegation battles on the final day of the season.

Lincoln City secured a long‑awaited return to the Championship, overcoming Reading 2‑1 in a match that featured an early strike, a late equaliser and a dramatic winner in added time.

Needing only a point, the Imps surged ahead in the fifth minute when Ryan Oné finished from a Reeco Hackett‑Fairchild free‑kick, prompting jubilant cheers from the 2,884 travelling supporters.

Reading fought back and, after a sustained pressure, levelled the score in the second minute of stoppage time via a precise Lewis Wing free‑kick, briefly reviving the Royals' playoff hopes.

Just four minutes later, Jack Moylan seized the decisive moment, netting from close range in the 96th minute to seal Lincoln's promotion – the club’s first appearance in the second tier since 1961.

The victory was mirrored by a cascade of results across the English Football League. In League One, Peterborough United drew 1‑1 with second‑placed Cardiff City, while Bradford City rallied to beat Wycombe Wanderers 2‑1, keeping their playoff ambitions alive.

Meanwhile, a 2‑2 stalemate between Bolton Wanderers and Stockport County effectively ended both clubs' chances of automatic promotion, and Stevenage edged Blackpool 1‑0 thanks to Harvey White’s 66th‑minute strike.

Further down the table, Luton Town maintained their playoff push with a 3‑0 win over AFC Wimbledon, Wigan Athletic moved closer to safety after a 3‑1 triumph at Northampton Town, and Exeter City broke a 15‑match winless run by thrashing Doncaster Rovers 3‑0.

In League Two, MK Dons were held to a 1‑1 draw by Oldham Athletic, Notts County surged into the top three with a 3‑1 victory over Newport County, and Swindon Town overturned a deficit to beat Walsall 2‑1.

Across the divisions, the final‑day results reshaped the promotion race, tightened relegation battles and set the stage for an exciting start to the next season.