City were edged out late on by Rotherham United in a tight match to open 2025.
The Imps started brightly with Bailey Cadamarteri getting some joy down the right hand side against Hakeem Odoffin.
Sean Roughan found Jack Moylan in the middle with a drilled pass but the latter fired his effort wide.
Mallik Wilks got in behind the City defence but George Wickens managed to get down low and save the effort.
Wilks soon had another chance after some neat play from Rotherham but the forward headed his effort over.
Alex MacDonald whipped a ball in from the right which was met by Zac Jules but he headed wide.
Moylan tried an effort from range testing Phillips who got down low to parry the shot and pouncing on the rebound before Jovon Makama can latch onto it.
Wilks fired over after the ball was pulled back to him following a well put together Rotherham move.
In added time of the first half, Moylan forced a brilliant stop from Phillips after he jinxed past a few defenders and got into the box.
Sam Nombe pounced on a loose ball and fired an effort towards goal but Wickens made a fabulous stop to keep the effort out.
Wickens made another great stop after Cameron Humphreys let fly from the edge of the area.
Substitute Tom Bayliss found Ethan Hamilton in the middle but he couldn’t keep his effort down.
Rotherham took the lead in the 85th minute through a smart placed finish from Joe Powell.
City: Wickens, Darikwa, Jackson, Cadamarteri (Draper 64’), Hamilton, McGrandles, O”Connor, House (Bayliss 76’), Roughan, Makama, Moylan (Duffy 76’). Subs (not used): Pardington, Jefferies, Street, Okoro.
Rotherham: Phillips, Rafferty, James, Powell, Nombe, Wilks, MacDonald, Jules, McWilliams (Bramall 80’), Odoffin, Humphreys. Subs (not used): Dawson, Clarke-Harris, Hugill, Green, Holmes, McCart.
Attendance: 9,222 (963 away).
