Lighting started the game with gusto, attacking the Bristol Bears defensive line with speed. It only took ten minutes for Katy Daley-Mclean to dance her way over the line and dot down for Lightning, converting her own score.
Not to be outplayed at their home ground, Bristol Bears started to apply the pressure on Lightning working their way down the pitch into their twenty-two. After a sustained period of pressure Lightning were penalised and Bristol Bears took the three-points, bring the score to 7-3.
With points on the board Bristol Bear found another gear. A fast line-break sliced through the Lightning defence followed by quick hands, Bristol Bears crossed the line in the corner to edge ahead 8-7.
It was Lightning however who would strike last, as the forwards kept ball from their line-out, Mags Lowish powered across the whitewash to end the half 14-8 ahead.
Both teams returned to the pitch with renewed energy and intent, resulting in neither team scoring til midway through the second half. It was Bristol Bears that broke the stalemate, as a driving maul saw them cross the line despite Lightning’s best attempts to hold them up.
It was in the final ten minutes that the game came to a head with Bristol Bears taking the lead after yet another line break lead to them scoring in the corner.
Fired up and on the back foot, Lightning turned up the heat, applying the pressure to the Bristol Bears defence; but it was too little too late for the Lightning side, who trailed 14-18 when the final whistle blew.
Congratulations to Amy Needham who was awarded Computacentre’s player of the match award after some fantastic carries and great work rate on and off the ball.
Lightning will be disappointed not to have capitalised on their attacking opportunities, making crucial unforced errors which allowed Bristol Bears to get back into the game in the second half. After a two week break for Christmas, Lightning will return in the New Year with a fire in their belly, ready to take on DMP Sharks on the 12th January.