Tom Hamer celebrated his 25th birthday in style as his late strike earned battling City a point at Blackpool to stretch their unbeaten away league run to 14 matches.
City fashioned the first opening within the opening minute as Tendayi Darikwa's cross searched for Dom Jefferies at the far post, but the ball was deflected behind for a corner which Sean Roughan took but the as he looked to play it to the near post the ball went out of play for a goal kick.
The hosts drove forward with four minutes on the clock, as CJ Hamilton attacked centrally and then down the left but his effort was blocked away for a corner by Adam Jackson. Nothing came from the set-play though.
In the 10th minute, a pass from Albie Morgan played Hamilton through down the left and he sent in a low ball across goal which was blocked away by Roughan.
Soon after, Rob Apter's cross from the left was met by Kyle Joseph in the area but went wide after he was blocked off well by the City defence.
George Wickens was called into action on 15 minutes when Lee Evans' set-piece from the right was played low to Morgan outside the area, whose effort was pushed wide by the Imps shotstopper.
Shortly after, he had a more routine save to make when he caught Joseph's header following a right-wing corner.
City won a corner of their own, down the left in the 22nd minute. The ball was sent into the danger area by Jack Moylan but turned narrowly wide by Paudie O'Connor, with the ball taking him by surprise and landing at his left foot.
The hosts pressed again just a couple of minutes later as Hayden Coulson drove down the left and sent the ball into Joseph, who flicked the ball goalwards with an audacious flick, but it was tipped wide by Wickens, who dived down low to his right to turn away the attempt.
After a link-up on the left from Coulson and Hamilton in the 34th minute, the ball broke for Evans on the edge of the 18-yard box, whose strike was deflected wide for a corner.
Coulson had required treatment a couple of times and was eventually replaced, and this seemed to take the sting out of the rest of the first half, with no other opportunities of note created until the third minute of stoppage time when Darikwa cleared away as Jordan Gabriel tried to force home the rebound after Wickens had saved well again.
There was a change for the Imps at the break as Conor McGrandles, who had been booked during the first half, was replaced by Tom Bayliss.
On 54 minutes, following a free-kick taken from the left, which saw a shot blocked by Bailey Cadamarteri and Darikwa, the ball was fed back into the area for the hosts' Jake Beesley, whose header from the right side of the box went wide.
City made a further alteration two minutes later when Cadamarteri was replaced by Freddie Draper.
The opening exchanges of the second half saw chances few and far between, although the Imps won a corner down the left when Jefferies' effort was deflected wide for a corner, which Moylan took. The Irishman found O'Connor at the far post but a block from a defender took the pace off the ball and the home side managed to gather.
City went down to 10 men after 70 minutes as Adam Jackson was shown his second yellow card of the night and subsequently a red for a foul on Joseph just over the halfway line. Straight after, Tom Hamer came on to bolster the backline again and replaced Moylan.
The hosts soon drove forward down the left and sent the ball across goal for Ashley Fletcher, who headed off target from six yards.
Blackpool went ahead in the 74th minute when Fletcher received the ball down the right and sent it low across goal for Joseph, who turned home from close range.
Using their numerical advantage, the Seasiders threatened again when Fletcher burst down the left and sent the ball in for Joseph, with the ball eventually breaking for Gabriel, who blasted wide.
Head coach Michael Skubala then made a further two changes, with JJ McKiernan and Erik Ring coming on for Jefferies and Makama.
Moments after coming on, Ring advanced down the right but saw his low drive across goal tipped wide by Harry Tyrer.
This sparked City, who put pressure on Blackpool in the closing stages and looked for a late leveller, getting the ball into their box on a number of occasions but the home side stood firm.
In the second minute out of five in stoppage time, the ball was sent into the area and Ring tried an acrobatic effort but it went wide.
The Imps carried on pressing and after the ball was sent across the goalmouth from the right, it fell to McKiernan, whose low shot was deflected wide for a corner.
But City's persistence paid off as right at the death. Bayliss sent the corner in from the left, which was met by the head of Hamer, who rose at the back post to power in the equaliser and send his side home with a share of the spoils.
Imps: George Wickens, Tendayi Darikwa, Adam Jackson, Ethan Erhahon, Bailey Cadamarteri (Freddie Draper. 56), Conor McGrandles (Tom Bayliss, 45), Paudie O’Connor, Dom Jefferies (JJ McKiernan, 80), Sean Roughan, Jovon Makama (Erik Ring, 80), Jack Moylan (Tom Hamer, 72). Subs not used: Jamie Pardington, Rob Street
.
Blackpool: Harry Tyrer, Jordan Gabriel, Lee Evans, Albie Morgan (Sonny Carey, 87), Kyle Joseph, Hayden Coulson (James Husband, 36), Jake Beesley (Ashley Fletcher, 63), Oliver Casey, CJ Hamilton, Odeluga Offiah, Rob Apter (Elliot Embleton, 87). Subs not used: Richard O'Donnell, Matthew Pennington, Jordan Rhodes.
Referee: Lewis Smith.
Attendance: 8,528 (314 away).
