Lincoln’s American backer Ron Fowler, the former co-owner of Major League Baseball side San Diego Padres who took a controlling interest in the Imps when they were on their way to promotion last season, was among the sold-out crowd of 10,545 at the newly rebranded ProAmpac Stadium on a milestone day for the Imps.
The Imps’ head coaching double act of Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw tweaked their side after the opening-day defeat at Middlesbrough, with Hackett coming in for Ryley Towler, while Pompey made three changes after being overcome 3-1 by Queens Park Rangers.
Kavuma-McQueen was among the trio to come in and he was quick to make an impact, finding the bottom corner to open the scoring with Pompey’s first chance after Lincoln had gone close a number of times as they made a frantic start
Reach had a free-kick tipped over the bar by Nicholas Schmid, who then denied Ben House when the forward was through for a one-on-one chance in the fifth minute.
This misses soon proved costly, with 17-year-old Kavuma-McQueen breaking the deadlock, while a slight deflection helped Segecic add a second after Abu Kamara was brought down just outside the area.
Lincoln – who last lost a league game at home more than 10 months ago when beaten by Exeter City in early October – kept to their energetic attacking approach despite the double blow and were deserving of the confidently dispatched Hackett penalty which got them back into the game just after the half-hour mark.
Lincoln hopes of comeback result took a heavy blow when Adams added a long-range third for Portsmouth.
And while the woodwork was brushed by the hosts in the final stages, there would be no late drama to reinvigorate the party-like atmosphere in Lincoln.