Leicester City Ladies FC 1 Birmingham City Ladies 5

WITH two players on crutches after last week's opening pre-season outing, Birmingham manager Laura Harvey - in Thailand managing the British team at the World Student Games - will be heartened by a clean bill of health after this match at Aylestone Park.

The Redditch-based Premier Division side eventually ran out comfortable winners despite a slow start in muggy conditions with an own goal from Birmingham skipper Laura Bassett accounting for Leicester's only goal.

The Midland Combination hosts started brightly with a grounded Courtney Sweetman-Kirk almost punishing Blues keeper Nina Robery in the 13th minute after the shot-stopper had initially tried to handle a straightforward Bassett back-pass.

Two minutes later, Robery redeemed herself, blocking a shot from Lauren Impey with her legs at the near post and in the 18th minute Blues were ahead.

Midfielder Kerys Harrop flighted in a looping effort from 20 yards which beat a backpedaling Sophie LeGross in the Leicester goal.

Remi Allen brought another good stop from Robery before Heather Scheuber clipped the ball against a post for Blues after being sent clear by a defence-splitting Amy McCann through-ball in the 44th minute.

Three minutes into added time, Scheuber was instrumental in the visitors doubling their lead when her lobbed pass dropped perfectly to pick out an angled run from Penny Andreas, who lofted a delightful goal over a stranded LeGross, defender Katy Morriss only able to thrash the ball into the roof of the net as she scrambled back.

Birmingham took control after the break with Scheuber bustling between two defenders and lashing home a third, which left LeGross flat-footed, two minutes into the half.

As Leicester tired, Michelle Hickmott saw a shot hacked off the line by Jade Radburn and Katy Ward chased a Bassett pass, harrying the defender into a mistake and finding Chelsea Weston, who picked out the onrushing Sinead Wade only for the striker to blaze over.

Scheuber provided a trademark Hollywood pass in the 61st minute allowing Wade to outpace Morriss and calmly clip the ball between keeper and post for 4-0.

Within seconds it was five, Ward curling home a textbook left-foot finish around the keeper from Weston's pass.

Impey's cross saw Allen and Zira Handley go close for Leicester in the 71st minute and five minutes later the hosts had pulled one back after Blues failed to deal with a Nikki Webb free-kick which saw Bassett, facing goal, scoop an attempted clearance over Robery.

Birmingham sub Keeley Lowe went close along with Scheuber before Lowe brought the best out of LeGross after a mistake from Caz Toone.

A Harrop rasper rattled the bar - and took the cap off a bemused LeGross - six minutes from time with Weston almost adding a sixth with the last kick.

Birmingham City Ladies have been offered a mouth-watering draw in the opening round of the FA Tesco Women's Premier League Cup - away to arch-rivals Aston Villa.

Premier Division outfit Blues will visit their Northern Division rivals on Sunday, September 30 for a place in the last 16.

Blues skipper Laura Bassett and new signing Michelle Hickmott are set to discover this week whether they have made the cut for the England squad Hope Powell is taking to September's World Cup in China.

The squad is expected to be announced on today.