City concluded their 2024/25 Sky Bet League One campaign with a 2-0 home defeat to promoted Wrexham at the LNER Stadium.
In a performance which saw the Imps control most of the proceedings, second half goals from Elliot Lee and Ryan Longman ensured that the Red Dragons would complete their one year stay in the division with all three points.
Head coach Michael Skubala made two changes to the side for the final day clash. Tom Hamer returned to the XI in place of Adam Jackson, with Joe Gardner taking the place of Erik Ring.
It took City all of 15 seconds to fashion their first shot on target after Ethan Hamilton won the ball from midfield and drove at the Wrexham backline. He advanced as far as the penalty area before his low shot was saved comfortably by the Red Dragons' Okonkwo.
Captain Paudie O'Connor looked to curl an effort from 20 yards into the top right corner, however it was a defender's effort, with Okonkwo able to watch the effort sail high and wide.
A wicked cross from Sean Roughan picked out the in-form James Collins in the middle of the penalty area, but he couldn't quite get his angles correct, before bundling an effort wide of the mark.
Roughan, who played every minute of every game in the league this season, had a couple more chances to pick out another teammate, first finding Ben House. He couldn't fashion a shot on target, before the Irishman eventually found Joe Gardner. His powerful volley was bravely blocked by the on-rushing Max Cleworth after 20 minutes.
It was Skubala's side demonstrating their attacking intent after Hackett found Collins, before the striker clipped a strike over the bar from the edge of the box.
Defender Tendayi Darikwa had the same fortune as his strike minutes later, could only find the top of the Rilmac Stand after a Reeco Hackett corner.
The visitors had their first opportunity just before the half hour mark as captain McClean's cross found Sam Smith whose acrobatic volley was narrowly wide of Wickens' near post.
City had one more opportunity before the interval, with Hackett baring down on Okonkwo's goal, but the Wrexham keeper made himself big to deny the City man, before diving on the ball as Joe Gardner arrived on the scene.
Wrexham started the second half brightly with George Dobson arriving at the back post, only to see his header cleared off the line by Tom Hamer.
On 49 minutes Hackett's pullback found Joe Gardner, who had time to force an effort towards goal, but that too acrobatically blocked, much to the winger's dismay.
Phil Parkinson's side took their lead on 53 minutes as Elliot Lee had a free header inside the penalty area, converting Ryan Longman's cross from the right.
Their lead could have been doubled four minutes later, as Smith found his way through one-on-one, but Wickens was equal to the effort at the near post, and gratefully fell on top of the ball.
The Red Dragons would not be denied their second as on the hour mark, provider for the first goal Longman coasted in at the bak post and curled an effort around Wickens and into the far corner.
Skubala brought Jack Moylan and Tom Bayliss on to help inject more energy into the Imps attack, with 25 minutes to play.
The substitutes combined well and nearly got one back, but Moylan's shot from inside the penalty area was deflected narrowly over the bar.
With just over 15 minutes to play, young Zane Okoro was joined by Conor McGrandles and Freddie Draper as Skubala looked to roll the dice one last time.
City continued to huff and puff, trying to force their way back into the tie. On 78 minutes McGrandles combined well with Moylan, with the latter seeing his strike at the near post saved by Okonkwo.
Freddie Draper was next to try his luck, but his attempt flew through a crowd of bodies inside of the Wrexham box, and was high and wide on 82 minutes.
Parkinson's side still had their moments despite the Imps control of the game. A long ball over the top of the backline found substitute Steven Fletcher, who had his flicked effort saved by Wickens before O'Connor's rebound was lifted wildly over.
In stoppage time, Moylan lifted a free-kick over the bar, as Wrexham survived the Imps' second half push.
Imps: Wickens, Darikwa, Hamer, Roughan, O'Connor, Hamilton (Draper 73'), Erhahon (McGrandles 74'), House (Bayliss 65'), Gardner (Moylan 64'), Hackett (Okoro 74'), Collins
Unused subs: Jeacock, Jackson,
Wrexham: Okonkwo, Brunt, Cleworth, McClean, Scarr, Rathbone (O'Connor 76'), Dobson, Lee (Fletcher 71'), James, Longman (Barnett 72'), Smith (Marriott 85')
Unused subs: Burton, O'Connell, Revan,
Attendance: 10,347 (1,861 visitors)
