A controversial last minute goal saw Peter Taylor grab a lifeline on an afternoon of high drama, but little impressive football. A year or so ago Barry Knight was the anti-hero of Bolton as he sent off two of their players and gave Town three penalties in the second leg of the play-off semi. Few of those decisions were debatable, however the two red cards, one penalty, a hatful of bookings, the failure to red card Robbie Savage and finally the late Dean Sturridge goal left supporters with a lot to talk about after the game.

The Blues lined up using the 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 formation that George Burley successfully employed at Southampton last season and on a number of other occasions. Out went Jamie Clapham as Hermann Hreidarsson moved to left-back. John McGreal came in at centre-half. Jim Magilton came in for Richard Naylor as Marcus Stewart was employed as a lone striker with Finidi George and Martijn Reuser as the players between the attack and the midfield.

Early on there was a bit of a scramble in the Town box with Scowcroft getting a sniff at goal. The former Blues player got a good reception from Town supporters and was amongst Leicester’s more impressive players.

Marcus Stewart got his first shot in on 5, but it was saved easily. At the other end Callum Davidson hit a freekick wide.

Robbie Savage first started to irk Town supporters with a late challenge on Chris Makin. Surprisingly no yellow card was produced for a tackle that most refs would have deemed well worthy of a caution. Hermann Hreidarsson’s header from the freekick was saved.

Martijn Reuser hit a good shot on 9 minutes from a Marcus Stewart lay-off. Ian Walker saved well. A minute later Matteo Sereni failed to get to a cross with Scowcroft in attendance. Referee Knight saw a foul. Leicester’s fans were starting to get annoyed with Knight even at this early stage. Knight, like many other referees this season, seemed determined to blow his whistle as often as possible.

Town went ahead on 13 minutes when a Martijn Reuser corner was cleared to the edge of the area. Holland played the ball in to an unmarked Stewart who finished calmly. Leicester’s defending could certainly be called into question, although Holland did well to find Stewart.

The game was midfield dominated with little space. Finidi George was finding it hard to get into the game, but was still showing the odd moment of skill.

Adi Akinbiyi got himself in the book for a late challenge on Chris Makin before Matteo Sereni almost put Marcus Stewart through on goal with an enormous kick.

There was controversy on 27 when John McGreal played the ball away from Akinbiyi towards Matteo Sereni who picked the ball up. Referee Knight saw nothing wrong in it, but his linesman flagged and Leicester were awarded an indirect freekick. For several minutes there were arguments about the positioning of the wall. Each time Knight turned his back to move the wall Robbie Savage moved the ball nearer the goal, something not missed by Town players. Chris Makin got a yellow card for his trouble. The kick was blasted against a Town player and away. Martijn Reuser was booked for transgressing on a subsequent freekick.

In the 28th minute Robbie Savage was finally booked. The Welshman had made a number of poor challenges and could well have found himself sent off by this stage.

Finidi George sent in a fine cross from the right on 32 which Marcus Stewart almost got on the end of. George’s skill down the right deserved a goal.

Savage, being booed by Town supporters, was in constant chatter with a number of the Town players unhappy at his conduct thus far. The 39th minute saw another Savage foul on Magilton.

On the stroke of half-time Matteo Sereni made a good save from Muzzy Izzet while at the other end Matt Holland headed wide when perhaps he should have done better.

The second half was to be one of much controversy. The first action, however, saw a superb save from Sereni tipping a Davidson shot over the bar. It was similar to Richard Wright’s save from Sylvain Wiltord at Highbury last season.

On 57 the Italian keeper was to be involved in the afternoon’s main incident. Robbie Savage (who else?) went in late on the keeper as Sereni cleared a ball into the box. The former Sampdoria player remonstrated with Savage who crashed to the ground in the manner we have all seen so many times before. Savage rolled around as Sereni prepared to get on with the game. Referee Knight allowed a trainer on to look at Savage and was called over by his linesman deployed in the other half of the field. Knight returned, called Sereni over and red-carded him. It was clear from the reaction of the Italian and the other Town players that they felt it was a harsh decision. Savage is not a player to go near in circumstances like this as even if there is no contact you can guarantee he will collapse to the ground. Sereni new to the British game wouldn’t have known this.

But that wasn’t the end of it. The referee was now called over by his other linesman and after consultation then awarded a penalty. Given that the ball was out of play when the Sereni-Savage incident took place the decision was highly surprising and was greeted by more protests from Town. Jim Magilton was booked as Muzzy Izzet placed the ball on the spot. It appeared that Knight wasn’t even going to allow Town to bring on sub keeper Keith Branagan as Izzet prepared to take a penalty into an empty net. Eventually with Town players stood in front of the ball preventing the kick Branagan came on for Finidi George.

Izzet ran up, took his kick and sent the ball straight down the middle and over the bar. Town fans celebrated as if a goal had been scored and Peter Taylor must have started to think the game was up.

Town continued to press on occasion even with the disparity in numbers. Hermann Hreidarsson headed towards goal while Martijn Reuser hit a speculative shot from distance. Leicester pressed without too many ideas and Titus Bramble and Hermann Hreidarsson both made excellent saving challenges. In the 77th minute there was an almighty scramble in the Town box from an Andy Impey cross. Savage, booed on each touch of the ball, headed goalwards only for John McGreal to clear. Keith Branagan caught the looping ball.

In the 80th minute the numbers were equalised as former Norwich player Lee Marshall hauled Martijn Reuser to the ground and then kicked him. There seemed no reason to start on Reuser at this stage and referee Knight had no choice but to show Marshall the second straight red card of the afternoon.

Town seemed like they would go on to get a second with Reuser left in loads of space down the left. Leicester seemed to have given up using a right-back as Reuser got in a number of telling crosses that sadly failed to produce a second goal. Marcus Stewart had a header saved before he was replaced by Alun Armstrong.

Muzzy Izzet was booked on 88 for a foul on Titus Bramble as it seemed Town would see out the remaining few minutes and gain a first away win of the season. Unfortunately this was not to be the case. In the last minute Leicester were awarded a freekick just outside the area and as referee Knight lined up the wall and the PA announced four minutes of injury time, Izzet played the ball in to Sturridge who hit a shot which was well-saved by Branagan. With many players still unaware that the freekick had been taken Sturridge hit the rebound home. Another goal from a swiftly taken freekick, something that Town were prevented from doing in the home game with Derby. Where’s the consistency?

The remaining minutes saw Town push to try and get a second goal. Martijn Reuser had a shot excellently saved by Ian Walker while Jim Magilton hit a shot well wide when in a good position.

Knight blew his whistle for the final time and Leicester supporters probably went home the happier. For most of the afternoon it appeared that Town would take all the points and the Blues will be disappointed at the way the goal was conceded, although as with so much else the role of the referee must be in question.

As for the red cards, Sereni was foolish to go even near Savage, unquestionably the most hated player in the English game. As Justin Edinburgh found out at Wembley a few years back it doesn’t take much to send poor Robbie to the turf. If video evidence shows that there was indeed little contact from the Town keeper isn’t it about time the FA took action against Savage?

Sereni, Makin, Hreidarsson, McGreal, Bramble, Holland, Magilton, Wright, George (Branagan 61), Reuser, Stewart (Armstrong 88).

Att 18,775

Photo: Action Images

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