John Marquis’ second goal in as many games was not enough to continue the Imps impressive start to 2022.
He opened the scoring with his second goal in as many games for the club, just four minutes into the second half when he turn home Cohen Bramall's cross.
But goals from Joe Powell and Sam Hughes put the visitors in front and City just could not find a way back into the game.
The first opportunity of the match came from Marquis whose left-footed strike went over the bar in the third minute.
Josh Griffiths sprang into action in the 15th minute with an outstretched save from a Daniel Jebbison shot. The Imps’ number one then jumped back on his feet to gather the ball from Jebbison’s second attempt.
Both sides struggled to maintain possession of the ball and get a real foothold in the game, but it was City whose attacks seemed the most threatening.
Ted Bishop linked up with Anthony Scully down the right after 21 minutes but the ball was fired over the visitor’s goal by Scully, leaving Ben Garratt untested.
The Imps piled on the pressure five minutes later, winning three corners in quick succession. But Burton’s defence dealt with them comfortably.
Burton manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was forced to make an early substitution after 29 minutes when Gassan Ahadme was replaced by Louis Moult.
Lincoln came close with Cohen Bramall’s corner in the 36th minute which fell to Morgan Whittaker’s feet 10 yards out, but his shot was heroically blocked by Hughes.
Burton’s set-pieces into the wind caused problems for Lincoln throughout the first half. Tom Hamer’s long throw on the stroke of half-time led to a volley from Conor Shaughnessy which was saved by Griffiths in his biggest test of the half.
Neither team could find the opener in a back-and-forth first half as the players made their way down the tunnel at the break.
The Imps wasted no time getting to work in the second half as they broke the deadlock just four minutes in. Bramall’s whipped cross from the left found Marquis at the back post who was there to tap it into an open net.
Burton bounced back quickly as Moult was denied acrobatically by Griffiths in the 55th minute after a curled effort towards the far post. Just one minute later, Powell found an equaliser for the Brewers as he calmly slotted it past Griffiths in a busy penalty area.
City’s goal scorer, Marquis, nearly put the Imps back in front in the 62nd as he cut inside onto his left foot and forced Garratt to tip it behind for a corner. A flurry of corners followed which were dealt with by Burton’s defence.
Michael Appleton brought on some fresh legs in the 77th minute with Brooke Norton-Cuffy and TJ Eyoma replacing Adam Jackson and Ted Bishop.
Powell’s corner in the 80th minute found Sam Hughes at the back post who headed it past Griffiths to give Burton their first lead of the game.
Both managers made changes in the 87th minute. Ben House replaced Liam Cullen for the Imps while Terry
Taylor replaced Ciaran Gilligan for the Brewers.
The visitors’ first goal scorer, Powell, made way for Michael Mancienne in the 90th as Hasselbaink looked to see out the game.
City attempted to create opportunities late on, but it was Burton who took the three points on a windy afternoon at the LNER Stadium.
Attendance: 9,159 (450 away)
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