Tranmere Rovers were beaten 1-0 away to Lincoln City in Sky Bet League One on Saturday afternoon.
John Akinde’s winner with 13 minutes to play earned Michael Appleton’s Imps the three points at Sincil Bank.
The turning point in the game came when Corey Blackett-Taylor was sent off for Rovers for two bookable offences late in the first-half.
Manager Micky Mellon made two changes to his starting line-up, with debutant Aaron Chapman replacing the injured Scott Davies in goal, and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy coming in for Morgan Ferrier up front.
In a tight opening 15 minutes on a crisp Lincolnshire afternoon, Rovers first real sight of goal came through Connor Jennings.
Play dropped to the forward after he was teed up by Blackett-Taylor, but his drive from 20-yards was off target.
Michael Bostwick then charged down Neil Danns’ well-struck effort from the edge of the penalty area, as Rovers pushed for an opener.
Kieron Morris’ run at the defence, where he showcased good feet to beat three players, was thwarted when he was tackled as he was about to shoot.
Tranmere almost led in bizarre circumstances after the half-hour when Jake Caprice’s cross from the right almost caught Josh Vickers out, who had to backtrack and tip over his crossbar for a corner.
Referee Carl Boyeson dismissed Blackett-Taylor with 40 minutes played for delaying a quick free-kick, four minutes after receiving his first yellow card for fouling Jorge Grant.
Buoyed by their numerical advantage, the hosts had two chances in quick succession.
Forward Akinde glanced Ellis Chapman’s corner just wide of the left-hand post, before Harry Toffolo volleyed over the crossbar following Grant’s cross from the right.
Sid Nelson did well to head away Jake Hesketh’s cross, with Akinde lurking inside the box, as Tranmere headed into the break on level terms.
Following the restart, Chapman was called into action almost immediately, diving on Toffolo’s dangerous low cross from the left.
Up the other end, Hepburn-Murphy controlled the ball well from Caprice’s pass, and he struck his attempt from the right side of the area straight at Vickers.
Nelson was there again to throw himself in front of Akinde’s shot on the hour, prior to the resulting corner being cleared to safety by David Perkins.
Hepburn-Murphy’s pace saw Rovers counter with a swift breakaway, however, the Aston Villa loanee dragged wide.
With 25 minutes left, Harry Anderson’s low drive for Lincoln through a crowd of players was deflected for a corner.
Lincoln led after 77 minutes when John Akinde powered in right-footed from inside the box which crashed off the crossbar and bounced over the line.
Tranmere pushed to equalise in the closing stages, but backed by over 300 of the travelling SWA, Rovers slipped to a defeat on the road.
Next up for TRFC is a home fixture in Sky Bet League One, as they welcome AFC Wimbledon to Prenton Park on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.
TRFC: Chapman, Caprice, Monthe, Nelson, Ridehalgh, Danns, Perkins, Morris, Hepburn-Murphy (Payne 75) Blackett-Taylor, Jennings
Subs not used: Pilling, Woods, Ray, Potter, Ponticelli, Mullin
Attendance 8, 369