Nathan Trott, Cardiff City’s first-choice goalkeeper, is nursing a hand injury which ruled him out of the Bluebirds’ 2-1 loss to fellow promotion hopefuls Lincoln City at LNER Stadium on Saturday.

The Bermudian was among six changes City manager Brian Barry-Murphy made to his starting XI from the one that lost 3-1 to Premier League side Chelsea in the Carabao Cup quarter-final four days earlier.

Lincoln took the lead in the 40th minute when Cardiff midfielder Alex Robertson diverted the ball into his own net attempting to intercept a pass to earn the home side 1-0 advantage at the half.

The visitors finally hit back four minutes into the second half when defender Perry Ng chipped Lincoln stopper George Wickens to cap off a brilliant attack.

However, Lincoln would not be denied with defender Sonny Bradley heading home the winner in the 67th minute to secure the points.

Despite suffering their fifth league loss of the season, Cardiff remain top the League One standings by three points over second place Lincoln with a game in hand.

Also dropping points was Nahki Wells’s Luton Town, who lost 3-2 away to League One rivals Reading at Madejski Stadium last Thursday.

Reading jumped out to a 2-0 advantage on goals from Lewis Wing, who broke the deadlock from the penalty spot, and former Town striker Jack Marriott.

Wells, making his first start in Jack Wilshere’s side since returning from an ankle injury, and his fellow team-mates battled on and drew level through tallies from Jordan Clark and Nigel Lonwijk, who struck his first goal in Town colours with a thunderous strike from 25 yards.

However, all of the visitors hard work came undone as Reading substitute Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan came off the bench to restore the hosts lead with 12 minutes to play with what proved to be the winner.

After the game Luton fans were seen remonstrating with some players as they came over to applaud the away support.

The result leaves Luton eighth in the standings, five points adrift of the play-off positions.