They edged out Bracknell Bees at The Hive on Wednesday by a 4-3 margin after taking a 2-0 lead by the half way mark.

Gary Clarke put the visitors ahead after 11mins 55secs – the only goal of a first period in which Lightning probably had the better chances.

Lightning suffered an early blow in the second session with both Ales Parez and Nick Poole in the sin bin at the same time. However they survived the five on three and Poole came close to scoring on returning to the ice.

Clarke also tested Bees netminder Gregg Rockman before Toni Alasaarela came from behind the net to register Lightning's second goal at 29mins 27secs.

The deficit for Bees was reduced less than three minutes later when import Michael Kanka beat goalie Barry Hollyhead for the hosts' opener.

With less than four minutes gone of the third session Lightning again added to their tally with Alasaarela again on the mark at 43mins 49secs.

However it took Bees just a matter of seconds to close the gap once again with Kanka registering at 44mins 13secs.

Errors by both netminders led to the two final goals for each side – Ross Bowers taking the score to 4-2 when Rockman allowed his effort to slip into the net on 45mins 31secs.

Then Kurt Reynolds got what could prove to a decisive goal for the home side with a soft effort which Hollyhead would have been disappointed to concede on 48mins 8secs to make it 4-3 to Lightning.

The second leg is at Planet Ice on Thursday next week, face off 7.45pm.