First League Defeat For LCFC Women In London
There was only one change from the 4-1 victory at Crystal Palace before the international break with forward Millie Farrow coming in for Natasha Flint ahead of kick-off in Dartford.
A slow start by both sides meant it took until the seventh minute for the first real opening to present itself, but it was a big opportunity for the Foxes to take the lead.
Farrow cut out a loose ball midway into the hosts' half and immediately advanced, until offloading it to Paige Bailey-Gayle, whose shot was frantically blocked by Ellie Mason.
At the other end, Esmee De Graaf was on hand to put in an impressive block of her own to prevent Annie Rossiter from catching the visitors out on the counter.
However, midway through the first half, City took a deserved lead through Bailey-Gayle, who converted cooly from close range, but that was where Leicester's day took a turn.
Moments later, a cross from the right was sent beyond Kirstie Levell in the Foxes' net by Atlanta Primus to level the scores and the scores, in a tense clash, would remain level until the interval.
After Primus had netted her second, though, Bailey-Gayle linked up nicely with De Graaf, collecting the return pass and powering an effort at London City's goal, but Shae Yanez was there to make the save.
Leicester sent on Ruesha Littlejohn, Sam Tierney and Flint in the pursuit of an equaliser, but their frustration increased further in the 70th minute as Lilly Agg's unstoppable effort flew into the net.
Agg's finish was preceded by an excellent header off the line from De Graaf, epitomising City's endeavour despite trailing in Dartford, but it was becoming an increasingly difficult afternoon for the visitors.
Mason netted a fourth for Melissa Phillips' side late on, before Bailey-Gayle and Flint both tested Yanez again, but it wasn't to be for the Foxes, who suffered only their first league defeat in 2020/21.
Major moment
While Paige Bailey-Gayle's opener for City appeared to be a fitting reward for Leicester's opening passages of play in the capital, the home side immediately drained that momentum with an equaliser.
The Foxes would have been confident of adding another, but Atlanta Primus' first goal gave the Lionesses renewed hope and ultimately proved to be the first of four occasions in which they would find the net.
Where does it leave us?
LCFC Women drop to fourth in the FA Women's Championship, on 11 points from six games, three points behind leaders Sheffield United and second-placed Durham, while trailing Liverpool on goal difference.
Coming up...
Blackburn Rovers are the visitors to Farley Way Stadium in Group E of the FA Continental Tyres Cup on Wednesday (7:45pm kick-off) before the visit of Lewes in the league on Sunday (2pm kick-off).
The details...
City: Levell; Barker, Howard, Plumptre, De Graaf; Devlin (Tierney 62'), Everett (Littlejohn 62'), Allen (c); Bailey-Gayle, Farrow (Flint 66'), Paul
Subs not used: Lambourne, Thomas, Cataldo, Fergusson, Smith
Goal: Bailey-Gayle 23'
All times GMT.
Images courtesy of London City Lionesses.