Frustrating the home side in the first half, Nathan Baxter was only called into action once before the break whilst the Somerset outfit teased at causing problems at the other end.

Edging towards the final 20 minutes the green and whites were creating a nervy atmosphere inside Sincil Bank before Mark O’Hara offered some relief with the opening goal.  

Battling until the end, the visitors searched desperately for an equaliser but were unable to peg Lincoln back and fell to a narrow defeat.

In action 24 hours ahead of the rest of the league, Darren Way opted to make two changes from the side that started against Morecambe last weekend. 

Back to full fitness, Josh Grant made his return to the side in place of Matt Worthington in a switch that saw Tom James move into a deep-lying midfield position to vacate the full-back slot.

Opting for a 4-1-3-2 formation at Sincil Bank, Alex Pattison came back into the starting eleven as part of a midfield three with Alex Fisher dropping to the bench as the in-form Tristan Abrahams moved further forward to partner Courtney Duffus. 

Catching the Imps out with their altered tactics, the visitors got off to a bright start under the lights and could’ve silenced the 9,000 strong home crowd inside two minutes. 

Duffus’ flick-on found the run of Pattison from midfield but facing a tight angle on the left-hand side of the box his shot was skewed over the bar.

Maintaining their positive start to proceedings, the league leaders were restricted to threatening only from set-pieces. 

Michael O’Connor’s corners caused havoc in the box on two occasions but were hacked clear by Town to maintain the stalemate. 

Making it to the midway point of the half with nothing to separate the two sides, the visitors once again threatened going forward. 

Finding plenty of space as part of a midfield diamond, Alefe Santos twice looked to find Duffus in the middle with sumptuous looking deliveries only to find Michael Bostwick on hand to just beat the Yeovil striker to the ball. 

Causing plenty of encouragement for the travelling faithful in the corner of Sincil Bank they were made to suffer a heart in mouth moment after 25 minutes.

Rhys Browne and Pattison collided on the halfway line to allow Harry Anderson a clear run on goal, but Nathan Baxter stood tall on the edge of his box to offer no angle and block the Lincoln winger’s shot. 

Saved any potential blushes by the on-loan stopper, that was as close as Danny Cowley’s side came to testing the 20-year-old between the sticks in the opening 45 minutes. 

At the other end, Tom James saw a wide free-kick somehow evade everyone in the middle before Abrahams curled a strike from 20 yards just over the bar as the break approached.

Remaining on the front foot after the restart the visitors were able to bring the talismanic figure of Alex Dobre more into the action, but it was Lincoln’s Anderson who drew the first save of the half. 

His run into the box after winning possession resulted in a low drive from the right-hand side of the box that forced Baxter to concede a corner with 55 minutes played.

Unable to make their set-pieces count frustration continued to grow amongst the home supporters, as Way’s side enjoyed some promising territory.

Trying his luck from range the effective Santos blazed a shot from 25 yards well over the bar as confidence grew amongst the Glovers, but they were soon to be undone at the back. 

Working the ball well on the edge of the box Anderson found space to swing in a cross from the right which perfectly met the run of O’Hara who headed home with aplomb. 

Needing a second wind, the Glovers immediately emptied their bench with three strikers added in the form of Francois Zoko, Ryan Seager and Fisher. 

Throwing caution to the wind the visitors left themselves exposed at the back in search of an equaliser and the Imps almost capitalised. 

John Akinde’s stooping header at the back post fell just wide before Bruno Andrade’s shot on the turn was well saved by a sprawled Baxter as stoppage time loomed. 

Penning the green and whites in their own half there was to be no late drama, as Way’s side suffered a first defeat in three.

With plenty of positives to take from the performance against the league’s number one side, Town will look to return to winning ways at Port Vale on Tuesday night.

Lincoln City: Gilks; Eardley, Bostwick, Shackell (Bolger 42′), Toffolo; O’Connor (Pett 81′); O’Hara, Anderson, Andrade; Akinde, Rhead (Rowe 67′).
Bookings: Eardley 26′, Toffolo 90′.
Subs not used: Vickers, Roberts, Watkins, McCartan. 

Yeovil Town: Baxter; Browne, Sowunmi, Gafaiti, Grant; James; Santos (Seager 76′), Dobre, Pattison; Duffus (Zoko 70′), Abrahams (Fisher 70′).
Bookings: Browne 39′, Baxter 48′.
Subs not used: Nelson, Mugabi, Worthington, Arnold.