Noel Hunt’s side were largely toothless up front, while Lincoln were clinical in taking their chances.
The Imps were lucky at times - Lewis Wing twice hit the post, Mamadi Camara had a goal ruled out for offside, and Ryan Street’s opener took a huge deflection off Finley Burns - but the home side ran out deserved winners.
Lincoln’s second strike, coming through Reeco Hackett after 67 minutes, killed off the game and exposed Reading’s lack of strength in depth as various substitutes failed to make an impact.
The game got underway with a pause - Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan clashing heads in the middle of the pitch with just one minute on the clock. A dry opening of 15 minutes bore no chances for either team, as both sides failed to maintain meaningful possession.
The first chance came on 16 minutes after Lincoln floated a long ball into the box from a free-kick on the halfway line. The ball was half-cleared and fell to Conor McGrandles, whose stinging shot was goalbound until a vital block from Lewis Wing.
Rob Street opened the scoring moments later when Lincoln broke down Reading’s left. Street latched on to a long diagonal from Imps ‘keeper George Wickens and sped away from Finley Burns. His cross was deflected into the net by the Reading new boy, leaving Joel Pereira stranded.
Street nearly scored again on the half-hour mark before being dispossessed by Michael Stickland.
Reading were denied what looked like a clear penalty when Mark O’Mahoney was shoved in the back in the Lincoln penalty box. A subsequent flurry of corners and throw-ins saw Reading put the ball in the net on 35 minutes, but Camara’s tap-in from a Wing strike that hit the post was deemed offside.
Two minutes after the break, Joel Pereira prevented Reading from going 2-0 with a stunning save right on his goalline. Street crossed to Jack Moylan, who should have scored from six yards out with a diving header, only to be denied by Pereira’s heroics. The Portuguese’s parry allowed Ehibhatiomhan to break down the Lincoln right-hand side and force a decent save from Wickens.
Moments later, Wing cut a frustrated figure after smashing another effort against the post.
Two new boys were introduced on 62 minutes, as Liam Fraser and Daniel Kyerewaa replaced Ben Elliott and Camara.
Their introduction did not pay dividends, as Reeco Hackett found himself through on goal to put Lincoln 2-0 up after 67 minutes. Paddy Lane replaced O’Mahony soon afterwards, and Matty Jacob came on for Jeriel Dorsett, but none of the changes made a difference and Reading created no more chances.
Lincoln nearly went three-nil up after another long ball eluded Reading’s defence, but The Imps striker dragged his shot wide of Pereira’s far post and spared the Royals from an embarrassing opening day scoreline.