Lambourne Enjoying The WSL Challenge

- LCFC Women’s latest challenge is to face Brighton & Hove Albion at King Power Stadium (2pm kick-off)
- The Seagulls came out on top when the two sides met earlier this season, winning 1-0
- Goalkeeper Demi Lambourne looks ahead to the WSL fixture and the Foxes’ preparation
- She also discussed the group’s team spirit and Lydia Bedford’s impact since taking charge

The shot-stopper has made eight consecutive appearances across all competitions since November, including four league outings, keeping a first clean sheet of the season against Birmingham City and making two shootout saves to triumph over Manchester United.

Although rested for the midweek Continental Tyres League Cup tie with Manchester City, she could return between the sticks on Sunday when the Foxes entertain Brighton & Hove Albion at King Power Stadium (2pm kick-off).

A long-term injury ruled Lambourne out for the majority of the 2020/21 FA Women’s Championship title-winning campaign, before Kirstie Levell's knee injury presented the 25-year-old with a chance to shine.

Speaking to the national media during Friday’s press conference, the former Oxford United No.1, who joined Leicester in the summer of 2018, discussed her role in the side across the last few weeks, which included a penalty save during last weekend’s league fixture at Reading.

“It feels great,” she revealed. "I’m really happy to be getting minutes now. I worked hard to get back from my injury, so I always wanted to be ready when I got that opportunity and hopefully now that’s showing in my performances.

“I think we’re behind every player if there’s an injury, we all get behind that player. We’re encouraging them to get back, we push them to get back quicker hopefully and we’re all together.”

Over a month on from Lydia Bedford’s arrival as LCFC Women’s new manager, Lambourne believes she has positively influenced the team’s performances and is confident that results will follow.

Avoiding defeat against the Seagulls this weekend would be enough to move the Foxes back off the bottom of the table, with Birmingham sitting one point and one place above them having played a game more.

The ‘keeper continued: “She’s given us a little bit of belief, a little bit of confidence. Her detail in coaching is great and the knowledge that she has come with has helped us massively.

“It’s just about taking each game as it comes and putting in performances. We want to get wins ultimately and points on the board.

“I think all you have to do as individuals and as a team is to control the controllables. I always say it, you can only control what you can control. If we put performances in, and we get results, that’s going to put us in the best possible position.”

An injury-time goal denied Leicester a point from their trip to AMEX Stadium in the reverse fixture and while Brighton have not won a league fixture since that day, it will be no easy feat to overcome the side managed by former England manager Hope Powell.

“They are hard to break down,” Lambourne continued. “Hope Powell is brilliant, she’s done a good job with them, and it’s been a long process with them. It’s going to be a test. I think we were really unlucky when we went there last year to concede late on.

“They like to go forward quickly and use the width so we’ve worked on that in training and hopefully we can go and get a result.”

All times GMT.