City battled but were beaten at Sheffield United, with a couple of moments of class from Patrick Bamford proving decisive.
The Imps had the first effort on goal in the second minute when Dom Jefferies picked out Conor McGrandles on the edge of the area, but his low shot towards the bottom right corner did not trouble Michael Cooper.
City showed promise going forwards in the opening 20 minutes but Rob Street’s effort was blocked behind following a Sam McCallum slip before Adam Reach’s powerful free-kick was held a few minutes later.
The visitors then had another good opportunity in the 21st minute when Street reacted to a poor clearance and nodded it across for Draper whose header went just over the crossbar from a couple of yards out.
Sheffield United looked to find some joy from distance as the half went on, with Joe Rothwell drilling one just wide from range in the 27th minute before Ben Brereton Diaz tried his luck from 25 yards later on.
Chris Wilder’s side found a way through just before the break when McCallum’s first time cross from the left was flicked into the bottom right corner of the net by an unmarked Bamford.
The home side did got their second goal in the 52nd minute when Rothwell played the ball to Tahith Chong on the left side of the area whose angled shot found a way into the back of the net via the far post.
It was harsh on the Imps, who had opened the second period brightly, but was a tough time to concede.
City kept battling but the Blades added a third in the 77th minute when Brereton Diaz delivered a ball in from the right for Bamford who showed his quality to volley it across into the bottom right corner of the net.
The Imps almost pulled one back in the 88th minute when Callum Elder latched onto a ball down the left and teed up Mikkel Ladefoged in the centre, however the Dane was denied by a smart stop from Cooper.
Sheffield United: Cooper, McCallum, Tanganga (C), Rothwell (Reidewald 85’), Choudhury (McGuinness 73’), Cannon (Campbell 85’), Kitching, Chong (Donovan 78’), Brereton Diaz (One 85’), Peck, Bamford. Subs not used: Davies, Arblaster, Ayew, Burrows.
Goals: Bamford (43’, 77’), Chong (52’).
Imps: Wickens, Reach (Elder 79’), Towler (Ogbene 62’), Bayliss, McGrandles (Konak 62’), Bradley (C), Jefferies (Hamer 79’), Street, House, Elerewe, Draper (Ladefoged 62’).Subs not used: Gauci, Olaofe, Varfolomeev, Oyegoke.
Referee: Josh Smith.
Attendance: 27,180 (2,850 away)