Following a quiet opening 58 minutes, the match burst into life when Nikita Whinnett broke through for the visitors and calmly slotted the ball past City goalkeeper Demi Lambourne.
Six minutes later, the Eagles doubled their advantage as a defensive error allowed Gemma Bryan to convert a tap-in from just three yards out after effective pressing from Ashlee Hinks.
Leicester, though, rallied brilliantly and halved the deficit through Hayley James’ composed finish following a tidy one-two between Melissa Johnson and Freda Ayisi on the edge of the area.
The six-minute recovery was complete in the 74th minute as Sophie Domingo seized on a loose ball and played in Leigh Dugmore, who finished powerfully to make it 2-2.
Despite their excellent comeback, though, City eventually fell to defeat when Bryan added her second goal of the afternoon with six minutes remaining.
As a result, the Foxes sit in sixth-place in the FA Women’s Championship with 20 points from 14 matches and they next welcome Manchester United to Farley Way on Wednesday (7:45pm GMT kick-off).
The details...
City: Lambourne, James, Morgan (c), Greengrass, Franklin-Fraiture, N Johnson, Thomas (M Johnson 60’), Dugmore, Axten, Smith (Domingo 60’), Worts (Ayisi 60’)
Subs not used: Clarke, Jackson, Nymoen, Brown
Goals: James 68’, Dugmore 74’