Town recorded their 13th draw of the season as the trip to Leicester City ended 1-1. David Norris pressured Ryan McGivern into an own goal 20 seconds after the start with Steve Howard equalising for the Foxes before the break.

Boss Roy Keane made three changes to the side which won 2-1 in the FA Cup at Blackpool last week. Full-backs David Wright and Liam Rosenior dropped out with Pim Balkestein and Alex Bruce coming in on the left and right respectively. Both regular full-backs have been suffering with knocks in recent weeks, while Keane may have decided to play a taller backline to cope with Leicester’s largely aerial threat.

Connor Wickham took over from Stern John up front, continuing his promising partnership with Jon Walters from the second half a week ago. Jaime Peters switched to right midfield. As expected Arran Lee-Barrett kept his place in goal with new keeper Brian Murphy in any case picking up an ankle injury in the warm-up.

Town went in front 20 seconds from the game’s start. Walters fed Colback down the left and the loanee from Sunderland crossed low to David Norris on the edge of the six-yard box. The Town midfielder just failed to get to the ball but Ryan McGivern chasing in behind him deflected it past his own keeper. Early goals are becoming a regular occurrence from Roy Keane’s men.

With Town having much the better of the early stages, Leicester managed their first serious attack in the 14th minute, Andy King heading the ball against Alex Bruce’s arm from a freekick played in from the left. Referee Mark Haywood decided against awarding a penalty and the ball found its way into Arran Lee-Barrett’s arms.

In general though the Blues were looking comfortable, sitting on their lead and playing some good stuff coming forward. Richie Wellens’s 20th minute shot well wide was as near to a chance as Leicester were getting.

Town weren’t far from a second in the 22nd minute when Alex Bruce crossed from the right and Foxes keeper Chris Weale did well to tip the ball over the bar.

Five minutes later, Leicester came close to an equaliser, Steve Howard heading goalwards from deep and Grant Leadbitter heading the ball off the line.

At the other end, Damien Delaney wasn’t far from scoring against his old club with a near post flick from a corner, then Arran Lee-Barrett saved from Matty Fryatt down to his right.

Grant Leadbitter’s shot from the edge of the area deflected wide in the 35th minute, then from the corner, Leicester keeper Chris Weale impressively tipped Gareth McAuley’s header over the bar.

From a subsequent corner, the ball was cleared to Leadbitter on the right and the former Sunderland man sent in a low cross which Jack Colback failed to get a touch on to with the goal gaping. Richie Wellens put the ball out of play at the far post.

Town had been much the better side with the home crowd becoming restless but as so often happens, it was Leicester who would score the next goal. Lloyd Dyer lost possession on the edge of the area in the 37th minute and Damien Delaney’s clearance struck Steve Howard and sent the striker in on goal behind the defence, the ex-Derby man beating the on-rushing Lee-Barrett.

The equaliser was very harsh on the Blues who had been much the better side. The goal seemed to wake the Foxes up, Fryatt hitting a shot from a tight angle on the right which Lee-Barrett saved.

Town probably should have been in front at the break on the balance of the first half. Had Jack Colback taken the chance moments before the Leicester goal, the game would have been all but won. However, the failure to clear a loose ball on the edge of the area again cost the Blues.

Alex Bruce picked up an early second half yellow card for a somewhat harsh handball.

On 51 former Blue Wayne Brown tried an uncharacteristic overhead kick which fell to Fryatt, who forced Lee-Barrett into an impressive save at point blank.

The home side had started the second half more strongly than the Blues, but in the 53rd minute a Grant Leadbitter corner struck the top of the bar and bounced over to safety.

There was a brief scuffle moments later after a McGivern foul on Peters, referee Haywood surprisingly avoiding booking the Leicester defender for a somewhat clumsy-looking foul. Liam Rosenior replaced Alex Bruce at right-back.

Town had another chance to grab their second goal in the 57th minute when Wickham sent in a decent ball from the left which Peters and Walters both just failed to get a toe to.

The Blues were starting to come into it more after their quiet start to the second half and Walters will feel he should have hit the target from Colback’s 58th minute cross which he headed powerfully wide.

Peters shot wide from the edge of the area, before a quick break from a Lee-Barrett long kick led to Wickham crossing from the left and Walters heading over at the far post under pressure from McGivern.

Howard shot over with the Blues looking to have settled for a point and with the Town defence repelling most of the high balls sent into the box. On 72 Owen Garvan replaced Connor Wickham as Town reverted to a five-man midfield.

Leicester striker Howard shot through to Lee-Barrett, then Stern John took over from Colback with Walters moving to left midfield.

In injury time Grant Leadbitter sent a 30-yard freekick narrowly over, but aside from that the final stages were largely chance free.

The Blues probably should have had the game sewn up before Leicester scored their equaliser, although the Foxes will feel they also had opportunities to win and were the better side for much of the match once they had scored their goal.

Overall, a draw was probably not an unfair result and shouldn’t be viewed as a poor return from an away game against a side currently in fifth place in the table.

Town: Lee-Barrett, Bruce (Rosenior 54), Balkestein, Delaney, McAuley, Leadbitter, Norris, Colback (John 82), Walters, Wickham (Garvan 72). Unused: Murphy, D Wright, Edwards, Quinn. Att: 20,758.

Photo: Action Images

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