Denver Hume made his comeback from injury as Lee Johnson made ten changes from the weekend league defeat at Portsmouth, as Sunderland began their EFL Trophy defence.
Left-back Hume returned to first-team action for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury on this ground in May during the Black Cats' play-off first leg defeat against Lincoln.
The only survivor from the 4-0 mauling at Fratton Park was Aiden O'Brien.
As expected, Johnson utilised a mix of first-team players and youngsters.
Aside from Hume and O'Brien, the other senior men to start were Lee Burge, Alex Pritchard, Dan Neil, and Frederik Alves.
Ellis Taylor, Ollie Younger, Kenton Richardson, Harrison Sohna, and Will Harris, were the men making the step up from the U23s.
Richardson, Sohna, and Harris were all making their first-team debuts.
Lincoln boss Michael Appleton made seven changes of his own, in his case to the side that drew at home to Plymouth at the weekend.
Anthony Scully, Lasse Sorensen, Regan Poole, and Lewis Montsma were the men who retained their places.
Former Sunderland man Chris Maguire came into the side, as did Max Sanders, Hakeeb Adelakun, Joe Walsh, Remy Longdon, Jamie Robson, and Sam Long.
You can follow all the action from Sincil Bank in our live blog here.
Tonight's teams
Sunderland: Burge, Richardson, Alves, Younger, Hume, Neil, Sohna, Taylor, Pritchard, O'Brien, Harris
Subs: Carney, Embleton, O'Nien, Almond, Newall, Kachosa, Wearne
Lincoln City: Long, Poole, Montsma, Walsh, Robson, Sorensen, Sanders, Longdon, Maguire, Scully, Adelakun
Subs: Boylan, Bramall, Nlundulu, Eyoma
