James Collins scored with his first touch of the game to hand the Imps an outstanding victory away at promotion-chasing Reading.
The Imps finally got their reward for an excellent performance on the road when the striker latched onto a Reeco Hackett free kick to score shortly after coming on as a substitute - and it was enough for the Imps to become only the fourth side to win at the Select Car Leasing Stadium this term.
City head coach Michael Skubala made four changes to his starting XI. Freddie Draper and Ben House came into the attack, in place of Collins and Erik Ring respectively. There was also a start in midfield for Ethan Hamilton, who replaced Conor McGrandles, and Tom Hamer came into defence, with Lewis Montsma making way.
The Imps were the first to attack with less than a minute on the clock. Hackett won back possession in the middle and fed Freddie Draper, who showed strength and turn of pace to move away from his marker before seeing his cross turned behind for an early corner.
The home side responded with an opportunity of their own on seven minutes and it took a strong save from Wickens to deny the Royals’ top scorer Harvey Knibbs from converting a Charlie Savage cross from the left.
They came even closer two minutes later. A trip from Hackett on Garcia presented Savage with a chance to deliver from a deadball situation and he found the head of Bindon. He nodded it back across for Mbengue to attack, but his effort was clawed out the bottom corner by Wickens, who got across to make an outstanding save.
City were causing problems and won a corner when House saw his dangerous low cross towards Draper turned behind. The Royals managed to clear as far as Hamilton, who saw his shot blocked on 15 minutes.
Skubala’s side had the ball in the net with 26 minutes on the clock. Jackson won it back for City and found Bayliss, who exchanged passes with Draper before releasing House. The forward did well after initially losing out to Kelvin Abrefa, but was judged to have fouled the defender before lobbing the ball over Pereira.
Abrefa was involved at the other end moments later, when he saw his cross well blocked by Jackson after he had been found down the right flank by Campbell.
With half an hour gone, Pereira was called into action to deny Hackett. Bayliss found Roughan on the left and he picked out the attacker at the far post with his delivery. He took a touch inside of Garcia to work room, before forcing Pereira to beat away his drilled effort.
City continued to probe and very nearly found the opener in spectacular fashion with 12 minutes to go until the break. Jackson picked up possession for the Imps inside the area and looked to clip the ball back across, but his delivery had Pereira scrambling across his line to tip the ball over the bar.
The Imps were more than matching the side with the third best home record in the entire division and had two glorious chances to take the lead inside the final 10 minutes of the half.
Firstly, House was a whisker away from converting Hamer’s flick from a Roughan long throw, before Draper saw his long-range strike parried away by Pereira, with only some alert defending from Bindon preventing House from capitalising on the rebound.
Bayliss was given a shooting chance from a free kick following a foul on House after 42 minutes. The wall did its job for the Royals, but they could only clear as far as Hamilton, but the midfielder saw his effort from 25 yards saved.
The only thing missing from an outstanding first half display from Skubala’s side was the opening goal, which very nearly arrived when House’s flick from Roughan’s long throw took a deflection, forcing a reaction save from Pereira.
The home side upped the intensity after the break and had two opportunities inside the opening 10 minutes of the half. Wickens was called upon to keep out efforts from Ehibhatiomhan and Wing, with Bayliss also blocking a strike from the former.
The Imps weathered the storm and regained a foothold on the hour mark and had an opportunity when Hamer’s delivery was cushioned back to Pereira by Mbengue, before Draper could attack it.
Skubala shuffled his pack with a double change after 65 minutes and it worked a treat. James Collins and Ethan Erhahon were introduced, and it was the experienced forward who gave City the lead with his first touch. In the immediate aftermath of the substitution, Hackett sent a delivery into the area from a free kick and Collins guided past the outstretched arm of Pereira with a deft header from close-range.
With the home side totally committed in search of a leveller, the Imps sprung them on the counter inside the final 10 minutes, with Collins playing Hackett through on the right flank. The attacker took a tumble inside the area under pressure from Bindon, but the referee judged his challenge to be a fair one.
Reading continued to push and substitute Wareham had the opportunity to equalise when he met Savage’s cross, but he couldn’t keep his header on target as the game entered the final minute.
A minute into six added on, Charlie Savage received possession 25 yards from goal and tried his luck, but could only direct his strike wide as the Imps continued to repell the hosts.
Two minutes later, the midfielder again took aim from range but this time his strike was over the bar.
The hosts had one final change to equalise when Darikwa conceded a free kick deep into stoppage time, but the wall did its job to deny Wing, as the Imps claimed a highly impressive three points.
Reading: Pereira, Arbrefa (Yiadom 55’), Knibbs, Savage, Ehibhatiomhan (Bodin 75’), Campbell (Carroll 75’), Bindon, Mbengue, Camara (Wareham 67’), Wing, Garcia (Rushesha 75’). Unused: Button, Stickland.
Imps: Wickens, Darikwa, Jackson, Hackett, Bayliss (Erhahon 65’), Hamilton, House McGrandles 82’), Hamer, Roughan, Gardner (Ring 61’), Draper (Collins 65’). Unused: Jeacock, Montsma, Okoro.
Referee: Benjamin Speedie
Attendance: 16,388 (391 away)
