Peterborough United frustrated to draw a game they dominated from start to finish

But they only had themselves to blame for failing to beat a poor, and very negative Reading side. Posh gifted the visitors a first-half lead and then proceeded to miss several first-half chances, and several more late on after substitute Gustav Lindgren had equalised 12 minutes from time.

Reading’s defending was desperate, their time-wasting was blatant, and sadly unpunished by the officials who added just six minutes on at the end. It should have been a moot point though as Lindgren and then Harry Leonard were denied by super saves from goalkeeper Joel Pereira and then defender Finley Burns in the same 91st minute attack.

The last game of 2025 therefore ended the same way as the first with Posh coming from behind to claim a draw. This was just the second point of the season for Posh after they had conceded the first goal. The shot count at the end was 19-3 in Posh’s favour which is a true account of how the game panned out.

It was something of a shock to see Posh stick with an unchanged side given the current hectic schedule, but manager Luke Williams is the man with all the relevant data to hand. The substitutes were also unchanged.

Reading were forced into two changes with defender Derrick Williams and midfielder Randell Williams both missing out with injury. Burns and Mamadi Kamara stepped up. Former Posh Golden Boot winner Jack Marriott started for the visitors.

Posh dominated the first-half in terms of possession, chances and shots on goal and yet ended it a goal behind after a daft defensive error and a poorly defended set piece.

Goalkeeper Alex Bass managed to air-kick a Peter Kioso back-pass in the 24th minute and, from the corner, Reading took the ball out of the penalty area and then back in again as two passes, the last one from Marriott gave Daniel Kyerewaa a tap-in.

Posh should have been ahead before then after an excellent cross from Matt Garbett was returned by Lisbie only for Harry Leonard to fail to make a decent contact from close range in the seventh minute.

Reading came to slow the game down as much as possible, but Posh had enough possession and opportunities to be in front by the break.

Leonard was unmarked when he headed a Ben Woods cross over the bar after he’d flicked a near post corner over the crossbar, Jimmy-Jay Morgan should have done better when a Peter KIoso cross landed at his feet eight yards from a goal, but a defender made a block.

An Archie Collins free kick then caused mayhem in the visiting six yard box, but Posh couldn’t find a finishing touch.

These teams had won their last six League One games between and started the game level on points, but there was a big gap in terms of positive intent.

It looked like Reading’s tactics would work as Posh struggled to create in the second-half once a Morgan header had been saved rather flashily by Pereira three minutes after the re-start.

But, out of the blue, Posh found some form. One touch passes from Leonard and Garbett freed Kioso on the right and his precise shot was turned home from close range by Lindgren.

Posh were suddenly rampant. Garbett saw shots whistle past the post and then into the side-netting. Pereira denied substitute Declan Frith from close range, and then there was that double save at the start of the inadequate period of added time. A free kick in the final knockings then ended with a ricochet off a Posh player that looped agonisingly over the bar.

Reading managed their third shot of the game in the 95th minute, but Bass saved well from Lewis Wing. Posh had one last attack from a free kick

A draw was frustrating enough, but defeat, now that would have been unpalatable.

Posh: Alex Bass, Carl Johnston, Tom Lees, David Okagbue, Peter Kioso, Ben Woods (sub Gustav Lindgren, 69 mins)., Archie Collins, Matt Garbett Kyrell Lisbie (sub Cian Hayes, 82 mins), Jimmy-Jay Morgan (sub Declan Frith, 54 mins), Harry Leonard.

Unused substitutes: Vicente Reyes, James Dornelly, Donay O’Brien-Brady, Tom O’Connor.

Reading: Joel Pereira, Jeriel Dorsett, Finley Burns, Paudie O’Connor, Kamari Doyle (sub Liam Fraser, 69 mins), Charlie Savage (sub Matt Ritchie, 85 mins), Andy Yiadom (sub Andre Garcia, 76 mins) Mamadi Camara (sub Kelvin Abrefa, 69 mins), Lewis Wing, Daniel Kyerewaa, Jack Marriott (sub Mark O’Mahony, 76 mins).

Unused substitutes: Jack Stevens, Michael Stickland.

GOALS: Posh – Lindgren (78 mins).

Reading – Kyerewaa (24 mins).

CAUTIONS: Posh – Collins (deliberate handball).

Reading – Doyle (foul), Yiadom (foul).

REFEREE: Alex Chilowicz 5

ATTENDANCE: 9,225 (940 Reading).