Reading boss Noel Hunt is expecting 'a good battle' on Saturday as he prepares to take his team to Lincoln City.

Michael Skubala's Imps sit ninth in League One, three points behind the Royals, and are looking to take the extra step into the play-offs this campaign after narrowly missing out on the final day last year.

Last season, Reading were unbeaten against Lincoln, drawing both fixtures 1-1, but finished 21 points worse off than Saturday's hosts.

On Saturday, Lincoln surrendered a two-goal lead to only draw 2-2 at Huddersfield Town, a seventh game without a win for the 2017 FA Cup quarter-finalists.

"They’ve got good players, a good manager and a direct style of play," Hunt told the media in the build-up to the game. "It’ll be a bit like the Blackpool game with strong runners and it’s about how we cope with that and go to hurt them. We’ve been putting together our gameplan all week and we will finish it off tomorrow and travel up there. We’re expecting a tough game because they’re a physical side with numbers. They are a really good counter-transition team and score a lot of goals from crosses. It’ll be a battle for our boys."

Reading are four matches unbeaten on the road but lost 3-0 at home to Blackpool on Saturday, with Hunt still searching for his first win.