Leicester City came from a goal down to pick up a precious point against relegation-threatened Crystal Palace at the Walkers Stadium last night.
Sean Scannell scored against the run of play in the first half with a long-range strike that deceived Leicester goalkeeper Chris Weale.
Matt Oakley levelled for the Foxes after half-time with a wonderful volley but Leicester were unable to break down a determined Crystal Palace side – who had Wilfried Zaha dismissed in second-half stoppage time for apparently spitting at Lloyd Dyer after reacting aggressively to a challenge by Patrick Van Aanholt.
The result left Leicester ninth in the Championship with just five games remaining, but results around them went favourably – meaning the Foxes closed the gap on sixth-placed Leeds United to just four points.
Sven-Goran Erikkson will have seen the result as a missed opportunity to catch up on the top six, however, with teams around Leicester failing to make ground.
Erikkson fielded the same starting eleven that beat Burnley 4-0 at the weekend, but with Palace defending in numbers, the Foxes found it much more difficult to create many clear cut chances – Diomansky Kamara posing the first real threat on 23 minutes when he latched on to Paul Gallagher’s cross into the penalty area; but the Senegalese striker’s effort failed to trouble goalkeeper Julian Speroni.
It was Crystal Palace who took the lead after half an hour when Sean Scannell fired a speculative effort that appeared to be a routine save for Chris Weale – but the Foxes’ keeper lost the ball in flight as it flew into the back of the net.
The goal was very much against the run of play, but Leicester responded positively at the other end with Sol Bamba forcing Julian Speroni into making a save after connecting with Paul Gallagher’s corner.
Gallagher then tested Speroni with a free-kick, before Diomansky Kamara saw his shot blocked over the bar.
Palace could have doubled their lead through Pablo Counago after a good run from Wilfried Zaha, but the Spaniard failed to hit the target from twelve yards.
The second-half saw Paul Gallagher replaced by Darius Vassell - a substitution that seemed to spark life into Leicester in the opening stages of the second period.
The Foxes were rewarded for their hard graft on 58 minutes when the ball fell sweetly to captain Matt Oakley, who drilled a thunderous volley past the helpless Speroni from eighteen yards.
It was the skipper’s first goal in two years, and it could not have come at a more important time for Leicester.
Chris Weale had to be alert just after the hour mark to keep out another Sean Scannell shot at the near post, but the visitors – despite having been a goal up – appeared content to play for a point, currently holding the worst away record in the Championship having taken just seven points from 21 games.
Patrick Van Aanholt forced Julian Speroni into a save at the near post with twenty minutes remaining before Yakubu inexplicably fired over the bar after a fantastic run by Darius Vassell.
With the pressure building, Steve Howard and Lloyd Dyer entered the fray – but Palace’s dogged defending kept the home side at bay and Leicester fans frustrated.
Patrick Van Aanholt fired a free-kick over the bar in stoppage time in what appeared to be Leicester’s last chance of the match – but the fullback was involved in more late drama after Wilfried Zaha reacted angrily to a crunching challenge on the flank by the Dutchman – who then appeared to spit at Lloyd Dyer, giving referee Ian Williamson little choice but to dismiss Zaha.
The full-time whistle blew after seven minutes of stoppage time, and although Leicester did battle back to pick up a valuable point, Sven-Goran Erikkson will know time is running out on the Foxes’ playoff hopes – but with five games remaining, anything is possible.
Man of the Match – Matt Oakley
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