Town suffered late heartbreak as a superb defensive performance went unrewarded after Danielle Van de Donk’s 90th minute winner saw London City Lionesses pick up a 1-0 win.
David Wright made nine changes from the side that Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday as only captain Maria Boswell and Kenzie Weir remained in the starting lineup.
PGA player Faith Adebayo, sister of current men’s academy scholar Praise Adebayo and former Town U21 Afi Adebayo, earned a place on the bench.
The Blues started brightly against the Women’s Super League side, pressing with intensity and not afraid to go toe-to-toe with their opponents.
The visitors began to control the game, though as Grace Geyoro’s shot defelcted off a Town defender but brought a superb reflex save from Natalia Negri.
Not long after, Lucia Corrales worked space out on the left wing and found Nikita Parris in the middle but her header from close range was straight at Negri.
Town had to remain patient seeing less of the ball than they are used to, but just before the break had a good opportunity to take a lead into half-time.
Jenna Dear picked out Rosella Ayane with a brilliant ball forward and in turn slipped in Lucy O’Brien, but her low strike dragged across goal and wide of the post.
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The second-half started much of the same with the visitors controlling possession. Town were defending superbly, however, with Kenzie Weir popping up with some crucial blocks and clearances.
On the hour, a London City corner caused chaos in the box with a number of important blocks coming from close-range shots and deflections before The Blues cleared their lines.
Negri pulled off another good stop as the game entered its final stages to deny a shot from Rosa Kafaji from out wide. Up the other end, Jenna Slattery tried to catch out Mary Earps in the other goal with an effort from distance.
But Town’s defence was finally broken in the final minute of the game. Freya Godfrey broke in behind and her ball into the middle was turned in via the crossbar by Van de Donk.
Town: Negri, Boswell (C), Peake, Weir, Fox, Dear, Cavanagh, McAteer (Hornby, 70’), Slattery, O’Brien, Ayane (Ademiluyi, 70’).
Subs not used: Proulx, Hunter, Adebayo, Roe, Mitchell, Palmer, Timms.
London City Lionesses: Earps, Rabaza, Corrales (Fernandez, 46’), Linari (C), Parris (Van de Donk, 66’), Cascarino (Diani, 46’), Goodwin (Godfrey, 66’), León (Kardinaal, 46’), Kafaji, Geyoro, Thomsen.
Subs not used: Lete, Putellas, Arques, Powroznik.