City Exit SSE Women’s FA Cup With London Bees Defeat

Following last weekend’s 0-0 draw at Aston Villa, the Foxes headed into their inaugural cup fixture of the season unbeaten in three FA Women's Championship fixtures.

Katie Wilkinson’s eighth-minute opener was added to by Ruesha Littlejohn just before the hour-mark to confirm the Bees’ first victory in this competition since rebranding in 2014.

After an even start in Quorn, the visitors were ahead early on as Wilkinson pounced quickest to a loose ball in City’s 18-yard box to prod it beyond Demi Lambourne.

Before the half-time break, meanwhile, it was almost 2-0 to the London outfit as Tricia Gould’s audacious effort from the edge of the box cannoned back off the inside of the post.

City's Libby Smith, meanwhile, was unlucky not to level the scores after the restart as she forced Sarah Quantrill into a fine stop following an inventive turn and shot in the area.

However, the Bees doubled their lead in the 58th minute when Destiney Toussaint’s pass was flicked on by Wilkinson into Littlejohn, who converted well into the Foxes’ bottom corner.

With 15 minutes to go, though, the home side were awarded a penalty for handball, but Rosie Axten's spot-kick came back off the upright and was cleared from danger.

As a result, Leicester’s involvement in the SSE Women’s FA Cup comes to a close and they next host Crystal Palace Ladies in the FA Women’s Championship on Sunday (2pm GMT kick-off).

The details...

City: Lambourne, Franklin-Fraiture, Nymoen, Morgan (c), Axten (Domingo 81'), James, Dugmore, N. Johnson, Hudson (Ayisi 59'), Moncaster (Worts 77'), Smith

Subs not used: Clarke, Thomas, L. Johnson