Sam Dalby ensured they took a share of the spoils with a late header after Jack Moylan had put the home side ahead midway through the first half.
Six points ahead of Bolton with a game in hand, the Imps knew victory would given them a strong hold on the second automatic promotion spot.
But Dalby’s header, Schumacher claimed, was just reward for his side’s ability to stick in the game – something which owed much to the goalkeeping of Jack Bonham.
“It was a tough game,” he said. “I thought it was a good game, competitive. I thought we started really well. The first 20 minutes we were probably the better team, and we ended the game really well.
“The last 15-20 minutes we looked strong, but in the middle we had to dig in and grind it out because it’s not easy playing against Lincoln. They’re really good at what they do. They put loads of balls in your box, they create moments of pressure and they’ve got good players at the top end of the pitch.
“It was difficult, but I’m glad to come away with a point for it because of the effort and the graft that the lads put in. I think they deserved a point.”
Moylan’s goal – the least he deserved from an excellent performance – came slightly against the run of play.
“I felt we started the game better than they had,” Schumacher said. “We were well on top and then the game became scrappy because of the fouls and the referee kept stopping the game. We felt it was a foul in the build-up to their goal.
“That’s what they do. They sort of build little moments of pressure and they’ve been dead clinical. They haven’t got really high xG or whatever, but they just find a way to score.
“They’re really good in the chaos. I know Chris Cohen, their coach, and that’s his big thing, to be good in their moments. It was a great finish from Moylan but it probably was against a run of play.
“I thought we did okay for the rest of the first half. Then at the start of the second half, they were probably on top until we settled down and made a couple of changes and had to dig in. We needed Jack (Bonham) to make a couple of saves, which is so important.”
On the goalscorer, Dalby, Schumacher was equally delighted to see him move into double figures for the season.
“He’s been a really good focal point for us lately and he deserves his goals, his work rate, his hold of play has been good,” he added.
“It was a great delivery from Ethan. It was a spot on ball. Someone who’s on form at the moment is in the right place and gets us a goal.
“I thought Johnny Kenny, when he came on, did really well. Showed glimpses of what he’s got. All the subs, in fact, Ruben Rodrigues, Josh Sheehan, because we just felt that the game was sorted their style, what suited them.
“We had to go long. We didn’t have loads of control of possession in the start of the second half and it was difficult for us to find space. I think when we did make the changes, Ibrahim Cissoko did well on the left-hand side.
“Ruben and Josh gives us a little bit of quality and composure on the ball and Johnny gave us that threat at the top end. I thought the substitutions definitely helped us today.”
On Bonham, who made nine saves on the day, the Bolton boss added: “We needed him because I think that’s the most shots anyone’s had against us this season and probably the most on target.
“He did really well. One of the saves when he rebounded off him and he got the second ball. That was a top, top save, brave.
“And that’s why we brought him here because in these tight games they decide on small margins and sometimes you need your keeper to save one and he has, so I’m delighted for him.”