Attendance: 21, 591 (468 Reds)
Fourth Official: S. Barrow
Assistant Referees: D. Avent & D. Plowright
Referee: P. Gibbs
Reds: Butland, Cranie (c), O'Grady (Rose 80), Perkins, Wiseman, Jennings (Scotland 64), M'voto, Noble-Lazarus (Cywka 64), Kennedy, McCourt, Fox.
Subs: Schlupp, Miquel, Logan, Wasilewski.
Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Konchesky, Drinkwater, Morgan (c), Vardy, King (James 85), Dyer, Moore, Knockaert (Hammond 85), Nugent (Taylor-Fletcher 90).
Teams
The Reds were having a real go of it and five minutes of stoppage time was indicated for Flitcroft’s men to pull one back. The Foxes could have added another at the other end when Drinkwater curled at goal but a Blue shirt was inches away at the far stick as the clock ticked down.
Again Cywka came forward to fire at goal and he forced Schmeichel into a save. From the resulting Kennedy corner, Cranie saw his header expertly saved by the inspired Schmeichel when it seemed a certain goal.
The last throw of the dice came as Danny Rose replaced Chris O’Grady in attack for Barnsley’s third and final substitution with ten minutes left.
There was certainly space there for Barnsley to manoeuvre in, as Tomasz Cywka jinked forward before drilling left-footed at Schmeichel to spill before gathering.
On 73 minutes Jason Scotland pulled one back as Tom Kennedy’s pinpoint delivery from Perkins’ pass was nodded home by the veteran for his second goal in as many matches.
Jason Scotland came on for the Reds after the second goal, replacing Jennings. Perkins took matters into his own hands when he burst forward from the right but his long-ranger failed to trouble Schmeichel on 69 minutes.
City were turning the screw and they got themselves a spot-kick when Butland brought Vardy down, meaning Nugent could step up to plant home on 62 minutes.
Leicester’s goal came on 50 minutes when David Nugent had all the time in the world on the City right-hand side so he took his time before drilling into the corner, giving Butland no chance.
Second half
The home fans wanted a penalty just before stoppage time of one minute was indicated when M’voto challenged Knockaert in the area, but there were no protests from Nigel Pearson, just the home fans.
It should have been 1-0 on 38 minutes when Lloyd Dyer burst onto Vardy’s pass in the area but as he was tumbling he turned the ball past the post from 15 yards.
A deflected shot almost caught Butland out when Dyer latched onto Nugent’s lay-off, but the debutant did ever so well to turn the ball past the post on 26 minutes.
Barnsley enjoyed a decent spell on the ball with McCourt surging forward into the box on 24 minutes after some great footwork, only for his shot to be too tame to trouble Schmeichel.
Former Reds loanee Drinkwater took a pot-shot with his left foot on 20 minutes but it was easy for Butland down the middle.
Nugent got in on 12 minutes as the defence parted but M’voto got across to block well as the former England man shot from inside the area.
Barnsley gave it a real go but just couldn’t find that elusive equaliser thanks to some brilliant goalkeeping from Kasper Schmeichel in the second half. Jason Scotland pulled one back for the Reds but Schmeichel kept out Cranie and Cywka with some great stops.
Reds 1 (Scotland 73)
Leicester City 2 (Nugent 50, Nugent pen 62)
