Lee Bowyer netted his second goal for Town as the Blues stretched their unbeaten run to three games with a 1-1 draw at Leicester. Michael Chopra had already missed a penalty by the time Bowyer scored in the third minute, Paul Gallagher converting a Foxes spotkick for handball against Jason Scotland in the second half.
Damien Delaney was the man given the nod to replace departed loanee Danny Collins at the centre of the defence with Town otherwise unchanged.
Skipper Grant Leadbitter again missed out on a place on the bench, while Ãvar Ingimarsson, who had been thought most likely to replace Collins, was also not included in the 16.
Within 35 seconds of the start the Blues, playing in black, were awarded their first penalty of the season. Bowyer played the ball to Scotland, whose flick sent Lee Martin away into the area. The ex-Manchester United man ran across Paul Konchesky, who tripped him, referee Darren Drysdale pointing straight to the spot.
Surprisingly, the Lincolnshire-based official failed to issue even a yellow card, let alone a red, which seemed likely with Martin having had what looked a clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity.
Michael Chopra was charged with taking the kick but Kasper Schmeichel got across to his right to stop the Town striker’s not overly well-hit kick.
Despite the setback of missing the spotkick, the Blues were ahead within two minutes. Keith Andrews floated a freekick to the far post, which Leicester failed to deal with. Bowyer hooked it back into the box, then, after the Foxes’ backline had remained unable to clear, the veteran midfield slammed the loose ball into the net from eight yards.
Leicester, who hadn’t entered Town’s half of the field before the goal, went looking for an equaliser, Ibrahima Sonko doing well to get a touch on a dangerous cross from the right at the far post.
There was a scare for the Blues on eight when Jermaine Beckford got away from Sonko midway inside the Town half, the centre-half sending him to ground. The Leicester fans called for a red card but having been so lenient on the penalty incident, Drysdale could only really stretch to a yellow, which he did.
While both sides were probably thinking themselves fortunate to still have eleven men on the field, Paul Gallagher hit the freekick wide.
The breathless start continued, Leicester having most of the ball but with the Blues looking dangerous on the break. Scotland shot weakly to Schmeichel, then Sol Bamba headed over from a corner
Town could have added to their lead on 17 after David Nugent — the man with the eight in eight goalscoring record against Town — clattered into Aaron Cresswell on the Blues left, just inside the Leicester half and was lucky to avoid a yellow card.
The ex-Tranmere man took the kick himself, Delaney heading back across goal and Scotland getting the merest of touches which appeared to take the ball away from Andrews as the Irishman broke into the box looking for his 10th goal for the Blues.
The match eventually settled down with chances becoming rarer, Gallagher hitting a poor effort through to Arran Lee-Barrett on the half hour, Sonko having picked up a knock in a collision with Beckford in the build-up and requiring treatment.
On 33 Bamba broke forward and after exchanging a couple of passes hit a low strike to Lee-Barrett’s near post.
At the other end, a well constructed Town move ended with a Chopra strike deflecting wide. After the second of two corners, the ball was cleared to Cresswell, who shot well over.
Referee Drysdale once again showed his seasonally appropriate lenient side when Nugent reacted angrily to an aerial challenge with Delaney. After consulting with his linesman, the referee decided a talking-to was enough when many referees would have issued each player a yellow card, Nugent escaping for the second time.
Martin did manage to get his name in Drysdale’s book a minute later for a foul on Gallagher just outside the centre circle, although it appeared little if any contact had been made.
On 42 Delaney did well to get across ahead of the breaking Konchesky to clear after a Town attack had broken down. While Leicester prepared to take the resultant throw-in, Andrews underwent treatment for what appeared to be a hamstring problem and, after play had continued for a couple of minutes with the Blues down to 10 men, was replaced by Jimmy Bullard.
Soon after,the whistle went to signal the end of a half which had started in dramatic circumstances and with plenty of incident following.
The penalty looked the correct decision, although plenty of referees would have shown Konchesky a red card with Martin appearing to be about to unleash a shot.
Similarly Sonko might have gone in the incident soon afterwards, with Mr Drysdale’s officiating very much in tune with the Christmas spirit of goodwill to all men.
Leicester had had a lot of the ball with Town giving the ball away too easily when in possession. Despite their possession, the Foxes hadn’t created too much with Blues keeper Lee-Barrett not overly worked and Andrews might have made it 2-0 to Town but for Scotland taking Delaney’s knockdown away from him.
Andy King, who scored in Leicester’s 4-2 victory over Town in this fixture on the final day of last season, came on for the anonymous Lloyd Dyer at the break, but it was the Blues who would have the early chances, Scotland having a shot and then a cross blocked before Daryl Murphy flicked a header over from a throw.
At the other end, Gallagher’s shot from 20 yards was stopped by Sonko but Town were starting the half on the front foot, Murphy sending in a cross from the left but too close to Schmeichel.
On 55 Nugent threatened to add to his eight in eight against the Blues for the first time. Konchesky crossed from the left and the one-time England man turned the ball goalwards but Lee-Barrett did well to save with his feet.
A minute later, Chopra laid the ball off to Bullard on the edge of the Leicester box and the Town sub unleashed a powerful strike but straight at Schmeichel. For the Foxes, Nugent went well wide from 35 yards.
The home side gradually regained much the greater share of possession with the Blues giving the ball away all too easily on far too many occasions. Gallagher, who had struck most of the Foxes’ shots throughout, sent a freekick wide in the 66th minute.
Three minutes later, Leicester were back on terms. Scotland was adjudged to have handled the ball as he tried to deal with an awkward bouncing ball out of the area after a corner had been half-cleared. The ball may well have struck the Trinidadian’s hand but it may have been harsh for the referee to suggest it was deliberate. Gallagher succeeded from the spot where Chopra had failed earlier on to restore parity.
With rain by now falling heavily, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas replaced the quiet Chopra in the 72nd minute with the home side very much in the ascendency. Moments later, after a Beckford run had been thwarted by Sonko, Yuki Abe shot straight at Lee-Barrett.
Nathan Ellington replaced the busy Scotland for the last five minutes with the Blues getting into dangerous areas more often than earlier in the half but without creating anything significant.
On 86 Emmanuel-Thomas lashed a very powerful strike wide, then Gallagher saw a freekick deflect just wide. As the fourth official’s board was raised to signal four additional minutes, Leicester skipper Matt Mills stooped to head Gallagher’s corner well wide.
The home fans called for a penalty when sub Jeff Schlupp went to ground under the attention of Delaney but referee Drysdale was uninterested. Gallagher picked up the home side’s first yellow card for a tired trip on Martin.
Neither side particularly threatened in the remaining moments and the referee’s whistle signalled what will be seen as a welcome and probably deserved point for the Blues — whose unbeaten run stretches to three games - even if they had surrendered their early lead.
Town: Lee-Barrett, Edwards, Sonko, Delaney, Cresswell, Martin, Bowyer, Andrews (c) (Bullard 45), Murphy, Chopra (Emmanuel-Thomas 72), Scotland (Ellington 85). Unused: Wright, Wabara.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Peltier, Konchesky, Mills (c), Bamba, Gallagher, Dyer (King 46), Wellens (Schlupp 87), Beckford (Howard 85), Abe, Nugent. Unused: Weale, Danns. Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire). Att: 27,091 (Town: 1,004).