Leicester City 2 Blackpool 0 - 29th November 2011

King and Danns on target for top-six Foxes

Leicester City moved into the play-off places for the first time this season following a 2-0 win over a determined Blackpool side at the King Power Stadium.

Andy King put the hosts ahead in the first-half with a cool finish after latching on to Lloyd Dyer's clever through ball.

And the points were secured eight minutes from time when Dyer raced ahead of the Blackpool defence before squaring the ball to Neil Danns who fired home from eighteen yards.

It was Leicester's second consecutive home win, and the three points ensured that the Foxes remain unbeaten since the return of Nigel Pearson, taking seven points from nine.

However, it was Blackpool who started the game strongly and could have gone ahead when Matt Mills' poor clearance fell to Jonjo Shelvey, but the Liverpool loanee fired over the bar.

But the hosts started creating chances and came close when Sol Bamba, who was recalled to the squad, then headed wide from a Paul Gallagher corner, before Jermaine Beckford's snapshot flew just past the post.

On the half-hour mark, Kasper Schmeichel was forced into making a superb point-blank save from a Gary Taylor-Fletcher header from six yards.

At the other end, Blackpool goalkeeper Matt Gilks was equal to a Jermaine Beckford strike, making a fine save at his near post.

The home side did take the lead on 37 minutes when Lloyd Dyer beat his defender before sliding the ball through to Andy King, who slotted the ball underneath Matt Gilks.

It was a well-worked goal and demonstrated Leicester's organisation and ability to withstand pressure and take their chances.

The Foxes were much improved in the second-half and should have doubled their lead when Jermaine Beckford latched onto a poor back pass, but his shot did not trouble Matt Gilks.

Matt Mills headed just over from a corner kick before Matt Gilks was on hand again to superbly save another Jermaine Beckford strike.

Paul Gallagher and Andy King linked up well on the right-hand side, playing the ball behind the Blackpool backline, but Jonjo Shelvey was on hand to clear at the right time in what might have been a wonderfully worked goal.

The introduction of Steve Howard and Neil Danns gave Leicester a boost with just over twenty minutes remaining, and the two linked up to create a good chance to double the lead, with Howard firing just over from 25 yards.

But Danns did score Leicester's second with eight minutes remaining when Lloyd Dyer raced ahead of the Blackpool backline before squaring the ball to the former Crystal Palace man, who cleverly slotted the ball into the net from just outside of the area.

It was a fine goal and testament to Danns' excellent performance since entering the game as a substitute.

David Nugent should have made it 3-0 after finding himself one-on-one with Matt Gilks, but his curling shot fell just wide of the post.

Andy King fired wide in injury time, but the points were already safe as Leicester moved into the top six for the first time in eighteen months – when Nigel Pearson was initially with the club in 2010.

Man of the Match – Lloyd Dyer

Leicester City 3 Crystal Palace 0 - 20th November 2011

Gallagher double sinks Palace

© ~~Tone~~, Flickr

Nigel Pearson's second spell in charge of Leicester City began with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace this afternoon at the King Power Stadium.

Jermaine Beckford broke the deadlock just before the hour mark with a cool finish from inside the area, before Paul Gallagher scored two wonder goals in the space of four minutes to put the game beyond the visitors.

It was a spirited performance by the hosts who had spent the last three weeks managerless since the departure of Sven-Goran Eriksson in October.

Pearson's return to the King Power Stadium, after parting ways with the club in 2009 to join Hull City, saw Leicester adopt a more familiar 4-4-2 formation which proved successful during his previous stint in charge.

The hosts started positively from the outset, with Lee Peltier flashing a dangerous ball across the face of the goal in the first minute which just evaded the right foot of David Nugent.

Nugent then had a shot blocked before Andy King latched onto the end of another excellent cross by Lee Peltier, but he could only guide his header directly at Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni.

Paul Gallagher tested Speroni with a low driving free-kick from 20 yards before Glenn Murray fired just over for Crystal Palace on the half-hour mark.

The first-half fizzled out without much to write home about, but Leicester sprung into life after the break on 55 minutes when Paul Konchesky's mazy run allowed the full-back to find Richie Wellens on the edge of the box, who played the ball into Jermaine Beckford who coolly slotted the ball past Julian Speroni into the back of the net.

It was a wonderfully worked team goal by the Foxes, and Beckford's second since joining the club at the end of the summer transfer window this year.

The former Everton striker could have doubled his tally two minutes later when he intercepted a misplaced pass between Anthony Gardner and Paddy McCarthy on the half-way line, but lost his balance inside the penalty area at the final moment and his shot lacked any real power.

At the other end, Kasper Schmeichel made a brilliant point-blank save from substitute Chris Martin's unmarked header from six yards out – a moment which would prove to be pivotal.

With just under 20 minutes remaining, Leicester doubled their lead when Paul Konchesky laid off a quick free-kick to Paul Gallagher who struck a sublime 25 yard curling strike into the top right-hand corner.

It was a fantastic individual goal that epitomised the Scotsman's technical ability, and showed what the Foxes have missed during his time on the sideline.

And just four minutes later, Leicester put the game out of sight when Dean Moxey only half cleared Paul Konchesky's cross and Paul Gallagher struck another 25 yard screamer past the helpless Speroni into the top left-hand corner.

It was a goal of top quality that bettered Gallagher's first, and completed a superb homecoming for Nigel Pearson.

It was a cruel outcome for Crystal Palace, who came close late again through Chris Martin and Glenn Murray, but the final whistle meant that Leicester took all three points and climbed to eighth in the Championship as they look to return to winning ways under Nigel Pearson.

Man of the Match – Paul Gallagher

Leicester City 0 Leeds United 1 - 6th November 2011

Second-half strike stuns managerless Foxes

© Isriya Paireepairit, Flickr


Adam Clayton's second-half goal gave Leeds United a narrow victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium this afternoon.


Clayton's 25 yard curling strike came with just over twenty minutes remaining and was a highlight in an otherwise lacklustre encounter between two promotion hopefuls in which the home side were condemned to their fourth home loss of the campaign.


Leicester played well in parts but struggled to create any clear cut chances after being frustrated throughout by a resolute Leeds defence.


Caretaker managers Mike Stowell and Jon Rudkin made no changes to the Leicester side that beat Burnley 3-1 at Turf Moor during the week, and the Foxes started brightly with some good build-up play between Paul Gallagher and David Nugent, before Steve Howard volleyed over the bar from eighteen yards.


Robert Snodgrass then tested his former team-mate and Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel at the near post after Andy Keogh had won a corner for the visitors following Sol Bamba's important block.


Richie Wellens had a dipping shot tipped over the bar by Alex McCarthy after fifteen minutes, while Ross McCormack fired high and wide at the other end of the pitch.


Paul Gallagher should have tested McCarthy just after the half-hour mark but dragged his shot well wide of the far post to sum up a fairly uninspiring first period.


Leicester showed more energy after the interval and came close to breaking the deadlock when his shot was deflected over the crossbar after excellent work from Richie Wellens.


David Nugent then had a shot blocked before Leicester had a penalty appeal turned down on the hour mark after Wellens appeared to have been brought down inside the penalty area.


But it was the visitors who went ahead with twenty minutes remaining when Adam Clayton took advantage of the Foxes' failure to close down a Leeds counter attack by curling the ball past the outstretched Kasper Schmeichel from 25 yards.


The goal was a strike worthy of winning any game, and the only real difference between the two sides on the day.


The goal spurred Leicester into making a double substitution; former Leeds man Jermaine Beckford replaced Steve Howard, while Neil Danns made way for Michael Johnson.


Beckford immediately looked sharp and was unfortunate not to latch onto the end of Kasper Schmeichel's long goal kick, before the Danish shot-stopper made a fine near-post save to keep out a strike from Robert Snodgrass.


Former Leicester defender Patrick Kisnorbo then made a vital stop to keep out Jermaine Beckford's goal-bound effort with ten minutes to go as Leicester continued in search of an equaliser.


But Paul Konchesky's wild strike from distance flew well wide of the goal with tow minutes remaining was Leicester's last real chance to draw level, and the final whistle indicated a second successive home defeat for the managerless Foxes.


Man of the Match – Patrick Kisnorbo