Another stunning Adam Reach strike sealed all three points for the Imps as their impressive festive form continued with victory at Barnsley.
This was a third straight victory for Michael Skubala's side, who have claimed 16 points from their last six Sky Bet League One outings.
The Imps had to show their battling spirit at the start of the second period but, in truth, the outcome rarely looked in doubt after Tom Hamer rose highest to head home the opening goal just eight minutes into the game.
Head coach Skubala made three changes, with Ivan Varfolomeev, Dom Jefferies and Justin Obikwu all coming into the starting XI.
One alteration was enforced, with the Imps still waiting to be able to scan the ankle injury suffered by Tom Bayliss at Stockport County on Boxing Day. Varfolomeev slotted in alongside Conor McGrandles in midfield, while Jefferies and Obikwu came in as part of Skubala's squad rotation during the hectic festive period.
City started brightly with Jack Moylan involved in some early action, with a shot blocked after six minutes before he drew a foul from Reyes Cleary moments later.
Varfolomeev and Adam Reach stood over the ball. Reach shaped to shoot, but instead stopped his run short and allowed Varfolomeev to loop the ball into a dangerous area at the far post where Hamer rose highest to head home.
It was another strong start from the Imps, and Reach almost send Obikwu through shortly afterwards - but there was a bit too much weight on the final pass.
City were controlling play. Davis Keillor-Dunn did have the ball in the back of the net for the home side after 21 minutes, but play had stopped before he struck it with the assistant's flag up against Cleary earlier in the move
The Imps threatened as Obikwu, Moylan and McGrandles were all crowded out, before the latter squeezed the ball to Jefferies - though his right-footed shot was lifted just over the bar.
The determination of the visitors was on show throughout, never more so than after 24 minutes when Tendayi Darikwa put his body on the line to prevent Patrick Kelly getting a shot away.
City countered straight from Sonny Bradley's clearance which followed Darikwa's challenge, leading to Moylan smartly winning a corner. City threatened from the set-piece, with Street flicking a header just over from Varfolomeev's delivery.
The hosts were limited to shots from distance, with Hamer getting a vital clearance from Cleary's left-wing cross before also blocking curled effort from the same player.
Reach almost got a second for City just before the interval. Moylan won the ball in the area before Obikwu danced his way past several players - he was held up by the fourth Tykes player in his way but he fed Reach whose low snapshot was tipped wide.
Barnsley made one change at the interval, with Adam Phillips sent on. He almost had an instant impact as he collected Cleary's pull back and got a shot away - only to see it nestle in the side netting at the near post.
That was a warning of what to come from the home side, who needed something to force a way back into the game.
Josh Earl also headed wide, from Connell's cross from wide on the left, and Davis Keillor-Dunn will have felt he should have done better with a close-range header on the hour mark which he could only direct straight at George Wickens.
The home side definitely had the better of the opening 15 minutes or so of the second period, but Skubala made two changes after 61 minutes to help settle the game down. Hackett and Ryley Towler were sent on, with a switch in formation to a back three and wing-backs.
Hackett almost had an opportunity to extend his impressive scoring run as Obikwu tried to send him away, though the ball was just too far ahead of him. Moments later Street just could not get on the end of a cross from the left.
Phillips again threatened for the home side after 67 minutes with a shot which looped off a mass of Imps players and behind. This started a small run of corners, all of which resulted in Bradley dominating the area and clearing.
City effectively sealed the points after 72 minutes, and it was no surprise that it again came from a set-piece.
Hamer's long throw from the left was aimed at Towler, but Jack Shepherd managed to get his head to the ball first - it went straight to Reach just outside the area who hit a stunning right-footed volley which flew in via the underside of the crossbar.
The home side pushed to try and get back into the game, but at this point the Imps had everything under control.
Phillips remained the home side's greatest threat in the second period, with the determination of Varfolomeev to get back and block him after 74 minutes epitomising the Imps' work-rate. Phillips shot over again after 81 minutes.
In the end City could see the match out, limiting the home side to nothing more than long-range efforts which were never going to test Wickens.
Barnsley: Cooper, Watson (Fabio Jalo, 66), Roberts (De Gevigney, 70), Shepherd, Earl, Yoganathan (Phillips, 46), Connell, Bland (McGoldrick, 87), Kelly, Cleary, Keillor-Dunn. Subs not used: Ferrugia, Flavell, Vickers.
Imps: Wickens, Darikwa, Reach, Moylan (Hackett, 61), McGrandles, Bradley, Jefferies (Towler, 61), Street (Ring, 88), Obikwu (Draper, 70), Hamer, Varfolomeev (Lembikisa, 89). Subs not used: Jeacock Okoronkwo.
Official: Paul Howard
Attendance: 10,711 (1,529 away)
