Match Preview: Lewes Women vs. LCFC Women
- The Foxes return to the league schedule after defeating Liverpool in the Vitality Women's FA Cup
- Leicester will travel to face Lewes Women at The Dripping Pan this Sunday (2pm kick-off)
- The FA Women's Championship title has already been secured
- City beat Lewes 1-0 in the reverse fixture at Farley Way Stadium in November 2020
Ahead of City's encounter with the south coast side, LCFC.com provides everything you need to know, including a look at the opposition and how to follow the fixture from home.
The Foxes camp
LCFC Women recorded their sixth successive victory in all competitions by beating Liverpool 1-0 in the fourth round of the Vitality Women's FA Cup on Sunday thanks to Hannah Cain's 72nd-minute strike.
That result set up a fifth round tie with Barclays Women's Super League side Manchester United on Sunday 16 May - a team City are set to face in the league next season after securing promotion to the top flight.
The Women's Championship champions will now be looking to extend a 12-game winning streak in the league when they travel to meet Lewes for the final away fixture of the campaign.
Three To Watch
Lewes' impressive season has been built on a solid backline which boasts six Championship clean sheets this term. On loan Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ellie Hack, typifies their approach. The 18-year-old has demonstrated maturity beyond her years, perhaps drawing on her experiences within the England youth setup, and has proved to be effective in both boxes, adding her name to the scoresheet once in 15 appearances for the club.
January signing Ini Umotong has been a revelation since her mid-season move to The Dripping Pan, scoring five times in her first eight games in all competitions to move to the top of Lewes' goalscoring chart. The 26-year-old Nigerian forward previously enjoyed spells with Portsmouth, Oxford United and Brighton & Hove Albion and moved to the Rookettes following a stint at Swedish outfit Växjö DFF.
Katie Rood, 28, is an experienced forward who spent the majority of her early career in her native New Zealand before playing for the likes of Bristol City in the WSL and Italian giants Juventus. Initially signing for the Rookettes on loan in 2019, she made the move permanent and has been a key member of the squad since 2019/20. Also a full international for her country, Rood has scored twice in the league this season.
Opposition Form Guide
Simon Parker's side overcame London Bees in their last home league fixture, triumphing 2-1 on 28 March to record a second straight victory, after also seeing off Blackburn Rovers 3-0 a week earlier.
However, the Rookettes have since lost 2-0 away at Liverpool and then suffered a 2-1 home defeat by fourth-tier Southampton in the Vitality Women's FA Cup Fourth Round.
Lewes currently sit fifth in the FA Women's Championship standings and their final fixture of the season is an away trip to tackle Crystal Palace at Hayes Lane on Sunday 2 May (2pm kick-off).
Last Time Out
City edged a tight encounter at Farley Way Stadium in the reverse fixture back on 8 November, 2020, with the visitors pushing City all the way.
Paige Bailey-Gayle scored the only goal of the game on 30 minutes to ensure it would be the Foxes taking all three points and getting back to winning ways after their suffering only defeat of the league season to date.
How To Follow
Fans can access pre-match content and live in-game updates from the behind-closed-doors encounter away at Lewes by following LCFC Women on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, while there will also be plenty of post-match reaction from the Foxes camp after full-time, including extended match highlights and interviews on LCFC TV.
All times BST.