Aston Villa produced a late comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, leaving the hosts rooted at the bottom of the Women’s Super League table.
Kirsty Hanson netted the decisive goal in the 84th minute, her low strike slipping through the legs of goalkeeper Janina Leitzig to complete the turnaround.
Villa had earlier drawn level shortly after the break when Anna Patten flicked home at the near post, cancelling out Leicester’s first-half opener.
That goal came from former Villa player Alisha Lehmann, who finished confidently from Hannah Cain’s cutback to give the hosts a deserved lead before the interval.
After a slow start, Aston Villa emerged with far greater intensity in the second half.
Their pressure paid off early through Patten, and they continued to threaten throughout.
Patten nearly added a second from a corner, while Oriane Jean-Francois also went close, as Leicester struggled to contain the visitors’ attacking momentum.
The introduction of Ebony Salmon proved pivotal, stretching the Leicester defence and creating space that ultimately allowed Hanson to find the winner late on.
Leicester impressed in the first half and looked in control after Lehmann’s opener, but their inability to extend the lead proved costly.
Despite a strong start, the Foxes once again lacked cutting edge in front of goal - a recurring issue this season.
They have still not scored more than once in a single league game, a statistic that continues to undermine their survival hopes.
Manager Rick Passmoor will take some encouragement from the first-half display, but the second-half collapse highlights the gap they must bridge.
The win lifts Aston Villa up to eighth place and continues their recent improvement following a positive result against Manchester City.
For Leicester, however, the outlook remains bleak.
Now three points adrift at the bottom and with just nine goals scored all season, their fight for survival is becoming increasingly desperate as the campaign progresses.
