Ashleigh Neville and Drew Spence goals earn Tottenham victory at Leicester

Posted Monday, September 19, 2022 by PA

Stunning goals from Ashleigh Neville and Drew Spence gave Tottenham a well-deserved 2-1 win at Leicester in their opening WSL fixture of the season.

Neville opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a dipping, swerving effort from almost 40 yards, with Spence doubling the lead with a brilliant low drive in first-half stoppage time.

Spence’s own goal just before the hour mark gave Leicester hope of earning something from the game, but the home side rarely threatened to find an equaliser at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes finished 11th in the top flight last season with 13 points, although all 13 came under the leadership of manager Lydia Bedford after they had lost each of their first eight matches with Jonathan Morgan in charge.

With a full pre-season under her belt Bedford is expecting better this season and she will have been pleased with the performance of her side in a largely uneventful opening period.

Tottenham suffered an early blow when Rosella Ayane was forced off with an injury after just 15 minutes, with Leicester forging the first real opening after good work by Carrie Jones, only for Jemma Purfield to curl her shot over the bar.

The game burst into life in spectacular fashion thanks to Neville’s opening goal, the 29-year-old collecting the ball just inside the centre circle and advancing unchallenged before sending an unstoppable shot over a backpedalling Kirstie Levell.

Levell had to be alert to keep out a low shot from Jessica Naz on 39 minutes, with captain Shelina Zadorsky’s effort from the resulting corner deflected over the bar.

But with Spurs well on top they gained the reward for their dominance with almost the last kick of the half as debutant Spence rifled a 25-yard drive beyond Levell into the bottom corner.

Spence handed Leicester a way back into the contest on 58 minutes when she inadvertently turned Purfield corner’s corner into her own net, but it was the visitors who came closest to another goal when Ellie Brazil volleyed straight at Levell.