Although the weather was wet and windy, Lightning looked the dominant side from the start. With ball in hand from the kick-off, they looked to crash through the Bristol defence, carrying hard and making ground.
It was this attacking mentality that allowed Lightning to strike with only 5 minutes gone. A slick line-out from the forwards secured the ball, and the maul marched over the line, seeing Lark Davies collect her 4th try of the season and put her side into the lead.
Coping well with the wet weather, Lightning continued to pressurise the home side, and a fantastic break from Daleaka Menin gave Lightning the momentum they needed to put another score on the board. A sterling run from the forward allowed the ball to be moved quickly out wide to the safe hands of Emma Hardy, who shrugged off a Bristol defender to cross the line. Helena Rowland added the extras allowing her side to go into half time 12 points ahead.
In the second half both sides struggled with the conditions, with the ball slipping and sliding, making handling difficult. Some aggressive play in both attack and defence ensued from both home and away sides and the game became a battle between the forwards at set piece. Lightning dominated at the line out, however, as the rain got heavier handling errors in the maul meant they could not quite find the line.
In the final few moments of the game Bristol broke through the Lightning defence. A chip and chase beat the final defender and the Bristol winger sped to the corner, to put her side on the score board.
It was too little too late however, as a Bristol knock on from the kick-off allowed Lightning to kick for touch and end the game, clinching their second win away at the ground since the inception of the league 12-5.