By David Brenchley
For Academy, the loss signalled their first defeat on home soil and manager Mark Sampson would have been disappointed with the way they started the game.
The Lady Imps came out firing from the referee's whistle and it took them just two minutes to break the deadlock.
New signing Jodie Taylor looked a threat up front all game and it was her hassling that caused Grace McCatty to put the ball past her own goalkeeper.
The debutant, who is on loan from WSL leaders Birmingham City, then almost set up Jess Clarke up just minutes later but the winger's shot was deflected over.
Lincoln doubled their advantage on the quarter of an hour mark when right-back Daly poked home from a Sue Smith corner and her side looked unassailable.
Anouk Hoogendijk could have pulled one back straight away but her brilliant piece of improvisation was bettered by a superb tip over by Nicola Hobbs in the visitors' goal.
Sophie Bradley then cleared a shot off the line and only skipper Casey Stoney's excellent last-man tackle prevented Jess Fishlock getting the hosts on the scoresheet before the interval.
The rain had already started pouring down before the half time whistle but it got worse as the second period progressed, hampering the quality of the football played by both sides.
Sampson must have said something to his charges in the dressing room as they were back in the game just four minutes after they emerged for the second half.
McCatty made amends for her own goal by, somewhat fortuitously, scoring in the right end. Her mis-hit cross looped over a stranded Hobbs and nestled in the corner of the net.
However, Daly grabbed her second of the game four minutes later when a corner fell at her feet and she, yet again, poked home.
Bristol's Jemma Rose and substitute Molly Clark both went close from long range and Vixens captain Corinne Yorston forced a smart save from Hobbs but all their attempts looked to be in vain.
Yorston was to get on the scoresheet in the last minute of the game but also missed a gilt-edged chance with five remaining when Hobbs spilled a shot straight to her feet but she could only poke wide on her wrong foot.
It was then left to the former Arsenal stalwart to wrap up the scoring with a well-taken consolation penalty.
Women Sport Report will have all the reaction from goalscorers Rachel Daly and Corinne Yorston tomorrow morning. In the meantime follow me on Twitter for updates from the FA WSL and women's football.
