Reading’s play-off hopes were dealt a blow as they suffered a rare home defeat in League One which saw them fall outside the top six.
The Royals were beaten at home for just the fourth time in this league campaign as James Collins came off the bench to secure three points for Lincoln City.
Reading started the day in 6th place in the final spot of the play-offs with a three point buffer with their sights firmly set on giving themselves a shot at promotion come the end of the regular season.
Noel Hunt’s men lined up with the established central defensive pairing of Amadou Mbengue and Tyler Bindon, who has been nominated for the League One Young Player of the Season Award.
A drab first-half saw little in the way of chances for either side. Reading’s best chance came from Mbengue who had goalkeeper George Wickens at full stretch to tip away his looping header, while Lincoln had a couple of chances from long throw-ins.
Reading were made to pay in the second-half for some sloppy defending as they allowed Collins, who had come off the bench just moments earlier, a free header in the box and he obliged by nodding past Joel Pereira.
Following the loss, Reading dropped down a place into 7th after Leyton Orient completed an exceptional comeback to defeat Barnsley 4-3 having been 3-1 behind.
With just three games to go, Reading travel away to Mansfield on Monday.
Reading: Pereira, Abrefa, Mbengue, Bindon, Garcia, Savage, Wing, Knibbs, Camara, Campabell, Ehibhatiomham
Subs: Button, Yiadom, Rushesha, Stickland, Carroll, Bodin, Wareham
Lincoln City: Wickens, Darikwa, Hamer, Jackson, Roughan, Hamilton, Bayliss, Hackett, House, Gardner, Draper
Subs: Collins, Erhahon, Jeacock, McGrandles, Montsma, Okoro, Ring
Goals: Collins 65’
