Spurs Women’s WSL season kicked off with a 2-1 win at the King Power Stadium against Leicester City, courtesy of two stunning efforts from Ashleigh Neville and debutant Drew Spence.
Although Leicester pulled a goal back thanks to Spence’s own goal just before the hour mark, a comeback was never truly on, and, in truth, the win was more comfortable than the final scoreline suggests.
Spurs gave debuts from the start to new signings Amy Turner at the back, Drew Spence and Angharad James in midfield, with fellow summer arrival Ellie Brazil making an earlier entry into proceedings much earlier than anticipated as a 16th-minute substitute following an injury to Rosella Ayane.
The early setback, although slightly stilting an early period of dominance established by the visitors, did not prevent Spurs’ quality from telling as the first half wore on. Indeed, with 35 minutes on the clock, Neville picked up the ball on halfway, and, running forward unchallenged, hit an absolute peach of an effort from 40 yards that Levell in the Leicester goal had no answers for. 1-0 to Spurs.
Full of confidence, Spurs searched for a second goal that temporarily alluded them as Levell made a decent save from Jess Naz, but the visitors did not have long to wait to double their advantage. Indeed, Spence marked her debut with a lovely finish into the bottom left-hand corner to send us 2-o up going into the interval.
However, Spence went from the sublime to the ridiculous after the break, shanking an innocuous-looking Leicester corner into her own net, making the end nervier than it really ought to have been.
Nevertheless, for all of the Foxes’ huff and puff, they did not have the telling quality to restore parity before the full-time whistle confirmed a victory for the ladies, who join the men in capping off the weekend victorious against the East Midlands outfit. Next up – just like the lads – an NLD awaits!