Durham Women were the next visitors to Farley Way Stadium and Lee Sanders’ North East outfit provided a serious test of Leicester’s credentials. City fell behind to Emily Roberts’ thunderous close-range volley after failing to clear Nicki Gears’ aerial cross on 20 minutes.
That’s how things stayed until after the interval when Sophie Howard’s first-time punt into the box was expertly controlled by Remi Allen, who then lobbed the ball over Megan Borthwick all in one, smooth movement to draw her side level.
Just over a quarter of an hour later, the Wildcats were back ahead courtesy of a stunning free-kick from Beth Hepple, who curled her set piece over the wall and into the top corner. But just as they had done against Sheffield United, City hit back in the final minute of normal time.
Allen’s lofted free-kick caused chaos in the Durham box and, though Howard and Sam Tierney were unable to get the ball under control, it fell for Lachante Paul to fire in her first goal of the season to remain unbeaten and end Durham’s 100 per cent record in the process.
Following back-to-back 2-2 draws, the Foxes were searching for a victory and next up would be faced with what, on paper, was the biggest test of their Championship campaign to date.
Liverpool Women, newly relegated from the Barclays FA Women’s Super League, arrived in Quorn with three victories from their four league games, having also triumphed over Manchester United in the Continental Tyres League Cup group stage.
But it would be Leicester’s day. Paige Bailey-Gayle broke the deadlock in the opening half, controlling Esmee De Graaf’s cross in the area before shifting the ball onto her right foot and bending it into the top corner to get off the mark for the season.
Paul then made it two goals in as many games with her own fine strike 10 minutes into the second half.
Bailey-Gayle turned provider, threading a pass that was almost cut out by Rhiannon Roberts but eventually found its way through to the former Arsenal academy graduate, whose turn and finish had Leicester in a comfortable position.
Things became slightly more edgy when Vicky Jepson’s side swiftly reduced the deficit to one goal. Kirstie Levell failed to deal with Mel Lawley’s free-kick and allowed Jess Clarke to bundle home what proved to be a consolation goal, as City inflicted a first defeat of the season on the Reds.
The biggest win of the season to date came in the capital as Leicester arrived at Hayes Lane to take on Crystal Palace Women in buoyant mood a week on from their Liverpool triumph.
The Eagles ripped up the pre-match script as they took a fourth-minute lead courtesy of Cherelle Khassal’s controlled strike, which looped over Levell after the forward latched on to Bianca Baptiste’s cross.
After Palace's Amy Taylor was shown a straight red card, Leicester drew level when Charlie Devlin’s tricky run was matched by a cross which Allen was able to meet, applying a deft touch to take the ball spinning beyond Chloe Morgan on the stroke of half-time.
There was still time for another goal before the break and the away side found it as Bailey-Gayle teed up Flint to fire in a strike that was simply too powerful for Morgan to keep out.
Another two would follow in the second 45 minutes. Firstly, Devlin kept the ball alive on the byline, allowing Bailey-Gayle to take possession, once again feeding Flint in the area.
This time, though, the forward was denied by a block from Annabel Johnson, but Paul was on hand to find her third goal of the month.
Scotland international Howard then picked out substitute Lia Cataldo down the right and the midfielder’s first-time cross was neatly converted by Allen, as the stand-in skipper scored her second of the game with a quarter of an hour to play to end October with a second consecutive victory.