Preston 1 City 1
There was no way this match could ever match the head rush of the relegating-saving last-minute winner at Deepdale last April, but I felt that we would be more than capable of notching up another 3 points from this season's under-par Preston. I hadn't bought a ticket in advance because of work commitments, but wasn't too thrilled to have to shell out £25 at the gate. That was the only way in which any aspect of the evening resembled Premiership fayre.
The ramshackle stand along one touchline has now been knocked down but the open space clearly sucks out the atmosphere from what is often quite a noisy ground. I guess the new stand will be built when they've fleeced away fans for enough money to fund it.
Foxes fielded an unchanged side from the 'two points dropped' game at Colchester, but that generally impressive showing was followed up by an inexplicably dire first half performance in which we were lucky to still be in the game at only 1-0 down.
The goal was a bad one, our most energetic player Fryatt conceding a free kick on the touchline which was headed in off the post, a goal all too common in the Levein era but not one you expect to see now we have centre-backs who are more than up to scoring headers themselves at the other end…..
Despite Fulop again exuding calm and confidence in goal, Sheehan and Stearman looked vulnerable when wide men ran at them, whilst the makeshift central midfield pairing of Kenton and Chambers lacks craft. When McAuley went off injured, Kenton moved to centre-back and played well, as did Andy King coming on in midfield. However, John and Campbell hardly got a touch up front all game.
There had to be an improvement in the second half and indeed there was, and shortly after the hour we were level, Matty Fryatt again playing deep and beating people with ease before unleashing a shot from the edge of the area that the keeper could only palm up, Dudley Campbell reacting quickly to loop a header just beyond the retreating defenders.
Cue my favourite type of goal celebration – running into the fans with badge kissing/pointing. (picture courtesy of Raymonds/lcfc)
The last 10 minutes of the game were the most exciting, Carl Cort added some power up front and he was instrumental in two moves, firstly a shot was blocked on the line and dribbled to safety in dare-devil style by a PNE defender, and then he headed home a cross from a comically head-bandaged Sheehan (it looked to be covering his eyes) but it was given offside. At the other end, we had to scramble one off the line as a fussy ref took every opportunity to let Preston have free kicks to put it in the danger zone.
So we had the drawing feeling again when we were good enough to win – a common theme for so long now that it must somehow be ingrained in the subconscious of the players and indeed the fans. That said, I do feel we now have as good a team as at any time since the last relegation and in the unlikely event we are allowed stability from above, the seeds have been planted.
Leicester: Fulop, N'Gotty, Kisnorbo, McAuley (King 36), Stearman, Chambers, Kenton, Sheehan, Fryatt, John (Cort 58), Campbell (Newton 79). Subs Not Used: Henderson, Maybury.
Booked: Kisnorbo. Goals: Campbell 59.
Preston: Lonergan, Jones (Davidson 46), Mawene, St. Ledger, Hill, Sedgwick, Nicholls, McKenna, Whaley, Carroll, Ormerod (Agyemang 73). Subs Not Used: Chris Neal, Hawley, Mellor.
Booked: Carroll. Goals: Carroll 14.
Att: 10,930 Ref: Colin Webster (Tyne & Wear).
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation