10-man Reading were soundly beaten 2-0 by Lincoln City at the LNER Stadium as Noel Hunt's search for a first win continues.

Failing to muster a shot on target until stoppage time, goals from Bailey Cadamarteri and Reeco Hackett either side of half-time inflicted a third straight defeat in all competitions for the Royals.

Not helped by Louie Holzman's red card in the first half, former Reading youngster Ben House also hit the woodwork twice in a resounding win for the play-off chasing Imps.

Lincoln took control almost instantaneously from kick-off and Reading did little over the next 45 minutes to wrestle it back. Within three minutes, Joel Pereira was forced to tip Sean Roughan’s drive over the bar and the Royals looked less than convincing in their attempts to clear the ball.

To the surprise of nobody in Sincil Bank, the Imps took the lead on eight minutes as Michael Craig was unable to prevent the cross and although Pereira saved from the initial header, Cadamarteri was on hand to fire into the net from close range.

After taking the lead, the hosts ceded some of their control and were struggling to carve out too many clearcut opportunities, but Reading offered next-to-nothing offensively to bother George Wickens in the goal. Lewis Montsma saw a free kick caught by Pereira and it was to be one of few chances to add to their advantage following their early goal.

The 843 travelling supporters, and anyone connected to Reading, were incensed after the half-hour mark as Sam Smith was denied what appeared to be a clear penalty after Camara threaded the striker through on goal, and the referee was to be centre of attention again shortly after as Holzman brought down Ben House and saw red for a last-man tackle.

Harlee Dean was brought on to shore up the backline and made a crucial last-ditch tackle late in the half to deny a clear scoring chance for Michael Skubala’s men, and only once Chem Campbell was sent through on goal from the resulting corner did Adam Herczeg blow for half-time.

Anyone hoping for an improvement after the break would be left bitterly disappointed as the Royals continued to be the backfoot for almost the entirety and failed to muster a significant threat to the Lincoln goal. Bindon was forced to skew a cross behind for a corner inside three minutes and within five minutes of the break House had smacked the post from the edge of the box. The former Reading youngster did the same on the hour-mark, this time hitting the other post with a powerful drive, albeit with the assistance of a small fingertip from Pereira.

The goalkeeper was rather fortunate in the closing stages as he could not hold a corner and the loose ball in the box hit the woodwork again, this time the referee coming to Reading’s aid by blowing for a foul.

The only surprising element of Lincoln’s second goal was that it came with only 18 minutes remaining, Hackett side-footing past the keeper on the volley after evading any markers with a deep cross.

Content with keeping possession and wearing Reading out, Lincoln were full value for their first win in eight matches and Reading now head into Boxing Day's clash with Northampton Town on a run of no wins in four.