City suffered only their second away defeat of the season, with a narrow loss at Leyton Orient ending an unbeaten run on the road of more than two months.
The 2-0 defeat at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday 9 August was the last time the Imps had been beaten on the road, with Idris El Mizouri doing the damage early in the second half at the BetWright Stadium.
Head coach Michael Skubala was forced into one change, with left-back Adam Reach rolling an ankle during training the day before and therefore unable to travel. Ryley Towler came back into the side as a result.
Skubala asked for a quick side from his side as they looked to take advantage of any nerves from the home side, and he certainly got that - with Ben House rattling the crossbar in just the second minute.
Towler lifted the ball into the area and it was headed on by Tom Hamer, with House's first-time effort crashing back off the woodwork and bouncing to safety.
And moments later Conor McGrandles lifted an effort over the bar after a corner was cleared out to him just inside the area.
Then home keeper Killian Cahill pulled off a great block to deny Reeco Hackett from close range - after Freddie Draper had flicked on McGrandles' ball in - inside the opening 10 minutes.
Orient's first threatening attack came when they forced two corners in quick succession, the first coming after some solid defending from House and Sonny Bradley to deny Michael Craig's cross from the left before George Wickens blocked El Mizouri's attempted pullback.
City had to work harder to create chances in the rest of the half, with Dan Happe over twice to halt Rob Street
Wickens's first stop of the game came on the half-hour mark, though in truth Sean Clare's low shot lacked the pace to trouble him as it bounced safely in front of the visiting keeper before he collected.
City again started the second period brightly, with a marauding run from Bayliss before he picked out Hackett's run. The forward tried to lift a left-footed shot into the top far corner, but the assistant's flag was up.
Wickens was forced into his first proper save of the match after 54 minutes, with Aaron Connolly firing in an effort after a smart one-two with Dom Ballard. Wickens did brilliantly to make himself big and block the effort.
The home side went ahead after 62 minutes when El Mizouri flicked home a header from Craig's cross inside the area.
That prompted an immediate reaction from the Imps' bench, with James Collins and Justin Obikwu coming on in place of Draper and Street. And Skubala made a further attacking change a few minutes later, with Frankie Okoronkwo and Dexter Lembikisa sent on.
But Orient, confidence boosted by that goal, did a good job at slowing down play in their favour and looked dangerous on the attack - with Connolly looking particularly dangerous for the home side.
City threatened from a corner, won by House, after 82 minutes. The initial delivery was cleared out to Tendayi Darikwa, whose shot was blocked, before Hamer recycled the ball back into the area with a deft flick.
That ball found Okoronkwo, who controlled the ball smartly before volleying towards goal with three Orient defenders closing him down as the ball went agonisingly over the bar.
Late chances came, with Bradley sending the ball behind from a Hamer throw-in and Obikwu and Darikwa both seeing shots blocked in time added on.
Imps: Wickens, Darikwa, Towler (Okoronkwo, 70), Hackett (Lembikisa, 70), Bayliss (Varfolomeev, 78), McGrandles, Bradley, Street (Obikwu, 64), House, Hamer, Draper (Collins, 64). Subs: Pardington, Montsma.
Orient: Cahill, James, Happe, Beckles, Craig, Clare, Connolly (Simpson, 90), El Mizouni, Abdulai, Koroma (Perkins, 67), Ballard (Jaiyesimi, 32). Subs: Simkin, Moorhouse, Obiero, Wellens.
Referee: Stephen Parkinson
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