Notts County exited the Checkatrade Trophy after losing 2-1 at Lincoln's Sincil Bank.
The Magpies took the lead through Jonathan Forte but an own goal from debutant Pierce Bird and a spectacular late effort from Josh Ginnelly handed the group-winning Imps victory.
Kevin Nolan made 11 changes to the side that beat Bristol Rovers last week.
That meant Branislav Pindroch replaced Ross Fitzsimons in goal. He was protected by a back four of Nicky Hunt, Bird, Haydn Hollis and Dan Jones.
Curtis Thompson partnered Rob Milsom in midfield, while Liam Walker and Lewis Alessandra provided the width.
Alan Smith led the line alongside Forte.
The first opportunity of the match fell to the hosts, Luke Waterfall's header from a corner skidding up off the damp surface and posing Pindroch a problem. The Slovakian managed to hang on the ball.
Ollier Palmer curled an effort wide before Waterfall had another chance with his head, this time nodding wide from six yards when he looked certain to score.
Cameron Stewart sent a tame long-distance effort wide as the hosts continued on the front foot.
But it was Notts, with their first opening of the match, who would take the lead.
Walker lobbed the ball over the top for Forte, who burst away from the City defence, rounded Josh Vickers and rolled the ball home neatly from a tight angle.
The Magpies' lead was to last only 10 minutes, however, as Josh Ginnelly's whipped free-kick caused panic in the Notts box. Bird dived to head the ball wide but could only divert it beyond Pindroch, inadvertantly levelling the scores.
There were no Notts changes at the break and it was the Imps who started the second half the brighter.
Hollis was booked for a foul on Palmer before Elliott Whitehouse sidefooted an effort straight at Pindroch following a neat move from the hosts.
Nolan's first change saw Jorge Grant replace Thompson, with Alessandra slotting into central midfield, shortly before Callum Saunders came on for Forte.
And Grant nearly made an immediate impact, keeping the ball in play with an incredible touch before curling it goalwards. Sean Raggett did brilliantly to divert it wide.
Hunt saw his own goalbound effort blocked before Elliott Whitehouse's low piledriver was saved by Pindroch.
Time was slipping away from Notts, however, and when Walker's well-struck effort flashed a yard wide with 12 minutes to play it looked like their Trophy campaign was slipping away.
The Gibraltarian fired a 30-yard free-kick narrowly over as Notts continued their pursuit of the crucial next goal, but they were having to remain resolute at the other end as Hunt was called upon to make a big block to deny Harry Anderson.
Raggett then nearly wrapped the game up for the hosts, skimming the bar with a header from point-blank range with five minutes to play.
Jon Stead replaced Milsom in Notts' final change but the game was put beyond doubt moments later when Ginnelly curled a beautiful effort into the top corner from 30 yards.
Four minutes were added on at the end of the match, at the end of which Stead's deflected effort flashed agonisingly wide of the far post.
But 2-1 was how it stayed as Notts bowed out of the Checkatrade Trophy.