READING, England (Interstat) — Substitute Jack Moylan scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Lincoln City opened its League One season with a 2-1 comeback victory over Reading on Monday at Select Car Leasing Stadium.

The match, which kicked off on April 6, 2026, defied pregame projections that favored the home side. Statistical analysts at Interstat had given Reading a 53.6 percent probability of winning and simulated a 1-1 draw.

Lincoln City’s triumph was sealed in the sixth minute of added time. Fellow substitute Alfie Lloyd provided the assist, threading a pass to Moylan, who finished decisively to complete the Imps’ rally and stun the home supporters.

The game had begun in stunning fashion for the visitors, who took the lead after just five minutes. Another substitute, Ryan One, found the net early to give Lincoln City an immediate advantage.

Reading, however, controlled large portions of the match and pressed persistently for an equalizer. Their pressure finally told in the second minute of stoppage time when midfielder Lewis Wing leveled the score at 1-1, seemingly rescuing a point for the Royals.

The contest turned chaotic following Wing’s goal. In the third minute of added time, Lincoln’s Alfie Lloyd was shown a yellow card. The drama culminated just three minutes later with Moylan’s decisive intervention.

The physical encounter saw three other cautions. Lincoln City’s Dominic Jefferies was booked in the 66th minute, and defender Finley Burns received a yellow card in the 84th minute. Burns had earlier recorded an assist on Ryan One’s opening goal, while Jefferies assisted on Moylan’s winner.

The result marked a successful start to the League One campaign for Lincoln City, which improved its record to one win and no losses in the competition. Reading began its season with a defeat, falling to zero wins and one loss.

Across all competitions, Lincoln City now holds a record of one win and no losses, while Reading stands at zero wins and one loss.

The match was a showcase for the impact of substitutes, with all three goals and three of the five combined goal contributions coming from players who began the game on the bench. The late twist provided an immediate highlight in the early stages of the English third-tier season, delivering a result that overturned both the statistical expectations and the narrative of the match itself.