Spurs Women hold on for opening day win - on-the-whistle report

Long-range strikes from Ashleigh Neville and Drew Spence secured a 2-1 win at the King Power Stadium on Sunday afternoon, as Spurs Women began the 2022/23 WSL campaign with all three points against Leicester City.

During a quiet first half, Neville tried her luck from distance in the 36th minute with a screamer into the top left corner, before debutant Drew Spence treated us to a similar goal into the bottom left.

Leicester reduced the arrears courtesy of a Spence own goal early in the second half, but we did enough to hold on for the win.

Besides Spence, Head Coach Rehanne Skinner handed Spurs debuts to summer signings Amy Turner and Angharad James, while Ellie Brazil came on early in the first half to replace the injured Rosella Ayane.

The game went almost 25 minutes without an attempt for either side, but Aileen Whelan rectified that as she drifted into our 18-yard box and poked the ball over the bar and onto the roof of the net.

Jemma Purfield put in a menacing delivery from the left wing as the home side began to find their footing, before Neville's cross found Spence at the other end. The latter got the shot away but the ball ricocheted among the Leicester defenders and the danger was cleared.

With ten minutes of the first half remaining, Neville was given the ball by Asmita Ale and went for goal from more than 35 yards out, impressively finding the back of the net and catching Levell off guard for 1-0.

We had a good chance to double our lead when Evelina Summanen put Jessica Naz through on goal, but her shot was dealt with well by Levell.

A string of corners from James created shooting opportunities for Shelina Zadorsky and Brazil, but Leicester made the blocks necessary to stay in the game.

Spence crossed and caused chaos in the six-yard box on the brink of half time, but there was nothing the hosts could do about her effort from long range in the first minute of stoppage time, which was struck beautifully into the bottom left corner to send us into the break with a 2-0 lead.

Early in the second half, a Leicester cross for Carrie Jones was scooped over the bar but the hosts pulled one back moments later, a corner kick causing trouble and leading to a Spence block wrong footing Becky Spencer.

We made a tactical change with half an hour remaining, Skinner bringing on Kyah Simon for Naz, just before Brazil had a great chance to make it 3-1 but shot straight at Levell on the half volley.

Leicester could have come close to an equaliser with just under ten minutes to go, but Purfield's free-kick was headed straight at Spencer by Missy Goodwin.

Skinner then gave Celin Bizet Ildhusøy her Spurs debut as she replaced Evelina Summanen.

Match data

Goals: Leicester City Women – Spence OG 58, Spurs Women - Neville 36, Spence 45+2.

Yellow cards: Leicester City Women – O'Brien 79, Spurs Women - Neville 85.

Referee: Kirsty Dowle.

Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester.

Weather: Cloudy, sunny intervals, 15 degrees.

Attendance: 2,868.