Remembering LCFC Women’s Recent Opening Day Fixtures
Ahead of the 2022/23 Barclays Women’s Super League fixtures being announced later this month, LCFC.com provides a rundown of the Foxes’ previous four opening day encounters.
Crystal Palace 0 LCFC Women 2
Hayes Lane
Barclays Women’s Championship
9 September, 2018
Following promotion from the FA Women’s National League North at the end of 2017/18, the Foxes kicked off their Championship journey in the perfect way, beating another newly promoted team from the third tier.
Travelling to South London on the opening day, forward Melissa Johnson’s opener on 18 minutes had the away side ahead before captain Holly Morgan added a second with a quarter of an hour to play.
Goalkeeper Demi Lambourne, the only member of the current squad to feature that day, maintained a clean sheet at the other end to help secure a 2-0 success.
It turned out to be a solid maiden campaign at that level for City, finishing seventh with 21 points from 20 games, while the Eagles placed 10th in the 11-team league.
LCFC Women 1 Durham 5
Farley Way Stadium
Barclays Women’s Championship
18 August, 2019
In contrast to the previous year, it was a much tougher start for Leicester in 2019, despite beginning the season on home soil. Durham were the visitors to Quorn and took the lead after just seven minutes. Libby Smith responded immediately, though, levelling the scores within a minute of Megan Bell’s strike.
Lambourne started between the sticks once again for City, though had to be replaced on 57 minutes, with the scores still locked at 1-1. However, four second-half goals from Lisa Robertson, Becky Salicki and a late Molly Sharpe brace earned the Wildcats a comprehensive victory.
The North East outfit were in third when the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while Leicester improved on their 2018/19 position, ending up sixth, level on points with London Bees in fifth.
LCFC Women 3 Blackburn Rovers 0
Farley Way Stadium
Barclays Women’s Championship
6 September, 2020
The 2020/21 campaign began in style as LCFC Women’s first game as a full-time outfit ended in victory. Turning professional over the summer, the new-look Foxes side made light work of defeating Blackburn 3-0 to start a title-charge.
Charlie Devlin kicked off the scoring on 17 minutes, followed by a stunning double from former Rovers forward Natasha Flint on her home debut, after the visitors had been reduced to 10 players. Shot-stopper Kirstie Levell, another summer signing, kept a shutout on her Leicester bow.
Playing behind closed doors for the whole campaign, it was still a memorable one for City, who were promoted to the WSL as champions, wrapping up the title in April before being presented with the trophy at King Power Stadium.
Aston Villa 2 LCFC Women 1
Banks’s Stadium
Barclays Women’s Super League
4 September, 2021
Entering the top flight for the first time in the team’s history, Leicester made the short trip across the Midlands to face Aston Villa in Walsall on the first day of the 2021/22 season.
Making a dream start to life in the WSL, ex-England youth international Flint netted Leicester’s maiden top division goal when her shot managed to beat Hannah Hampton six minutes before the break.
Having looked the better of the two sides, the game turned on its head within two minutes. Sarah Mayling’s unstoppable free-kick restored parity and a minute later, former City midfielder Remi Allen struck to complete the turnaround.
That’s how it stayed as the Foxes fell to a narrow defeat, but would end the season with their WSL status intact after a post-Christmas revival.