City's promotion hopes took a jolt as they drew away to the Baggies at Tipton F.C. ground.

City started brightly enough with some neat passing with Nat Reay and Rachel Williams both getting forward to try and stretch the Albion defence. At the other end, stout defending by City's central defenders, Lauren Impey and Lekeisha Gumbs, thwarted the Baggies forwards.

The deadlock was finally broken as skipper, Remi Allen, won a fine tackle in midfield, sped it over the Albion's back four with Natasha Meade's pace getting in behind them with a fine shot right into the corner of the net.

City with their tails up tried to press home the advantage when Williams burst through the midfield and unleashed a great shot that the keeper pushed round for a corner. Reay took the flag kick but the Baggies' defenders scrambled it away from underneath the crossbar.

Albion hit back, there was a mix up in the Foxes penalty area when City's Impey was down injured and they couldn't get the ball away, it fell to the Baggies winger just outside the box whose shot looked to be saved but went through the hands of the City keeper, Laura Niblett. A cruel blow this, as it was bang on half time.

Straight after the restart City were positive and brought on Jade Radburn and Zira Handley and both were instantly in the thick of the fray.

Courtney Sweetman-Kirk sent Handley away down the right flank who beat her defender, crossed the ball perfectly but Meade fired wide. Wing back Nicole Nymoen was showing some brilliant skills in defending and getting City onto the attack on several occasions.

The game was getting physical with some strong challenges. City were going for it with Handley outstanding with some great wing play but her efforts went un-rewarded as the Foxes' forwards squandered many chances near the end but Albion broke and keeper, Niblett, made up for her earlier error with a fabulous save to keep City level. City certainly had their chances to take the game with Meade and Williams having the best of them but they were not converted.

This result puts City joint top with Coventry now and with 2 games to go City have a game in hand, with one this Wednesday 23rd April, at Leafield and the finale against Coventry this Sunday, 27th April, which will be the title decider, so come and support your Womens team , at Winchester Road, Blaby, K.O. 2.00pm, to see if they can make history and get promotion to the elite Northern Premier League.

Squad - Laura Niblett, Lekeisha Gumbs, Lauren Impey, Caz Toone, Nicole Nymoen, Rachel Williams, Remi Allen (C), Nat Reay, Leah Rawle, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk, Natasha Meade, Zira Handley, Kath Glass, Jade Radburn.

Report By Rehanne Skinner