Millwall 2 City 1
Report by Colin Hall
The awayday malaise, which has plagued Leicester so often this season, returned with a vengeance, as latest hosts Millwall secured Championship survival with a 2-1 victory over the Foxes.
A sizeable visiting contingent travelled to the New Den nurturing hopes of an improbable charge into the playoff spot following City's two wins over Easter. However confidence was seriously dented even before kick-off once the team line-up was announced.
The recall of Andy King and Paul Gallagher to the starting line-up was greeted with widespread incredulity. Both players had appeared significantly unnerved in previous encounters by the Lions' fierce, combative approach, and many feared (correctly, as it transpired) they would be so again.
However, City made a bright start during the opening 20 minutes, with winger Ben Marshall enjoying plenty of possession. The home defence stood firm, though, ensuring that home keeper Maik Taylor was rarely troubled.
At the other end, an inswinging free kick by James Henry caused problems for the visiting defence, but Harry Kane narrowly failed to hit the target.
This warning for City went unheeded, as minutes later another Henry freekick was met by home skipper Paul Robinson. His header across goal was not cleared, and Kane pounced to fire the Lions into the lead.
An early reply was crucial, and David Nugent almost provided it after good work by Marshall and Wes Morgan, but Taylor managed to turn away his close-range effort.
For the remainder of the first half, City were largely outfought in all areas of the pitch, as the hosts displayed notably higher levels of determination and work-rate in order to protect their advantage.
Once again, the character and mental strength of Nigel Pearson's side was being rigorously tested. And once again, they were found wanting.
City needed to step up several gears in the second half in order to rescue their season. And an opportunity arose soon after the resumption with a free-kick on the edge of the Millwall penalty area, but Paul Konchesky sent the set piece high over the bar.
The left-back's afternoon then went from bad to worse, as he conceded a penalty and booking following a mistimed challenge on Kane in a Millwall break. Andy Keogh made no mistake from the spot, with a cheeky chip past the prone Kasper Schmeichel, to send City's spirits sinking even further.
Pearson belatedly realised the errors of his ways, making a series of increasing desperate substitutions in an attempt to force a way back into the game. Gallagher, skipper Richie Wellens (who looked particularly weary and lacklustre) and Lee Peltier were replaced by Lloyd Dyer, Danny Drinkwater and Steve Howard.
Meanwhile off-field frustrations grew still further, with sections of the visiting support questioning their side's effort and commitment in particularly forthright terms. At a venue when application, hunger and desire have always been paramount in order to secure a positive result for any visiting team, it was especially disappointing to note so many City players were notably deficient in these qualities.
Nevertheless the Foxes did manage to find the net with nine minutes remaining, after a Konchesky cross caused panic in the home defence and Nugent teed up Danny Drinkwater for a long-range shot which eluded Taylor's grasp.
Having looked comatose for much of the afternoon, City pressed forward in a frenetic finale. Jermaine Beckford, hitherto largely anonymous during the proceedings, broke clear after a flick on by Howard, only to be denied by a questionable challenge by Robinson. But referee Phil Gibbs, who had previously shown few sympathies towards City, once again found in the home side's favour.
In the closing minutes, Millwall were able to regroup, retain possession and successfully run down the clock. They had shown a greater will to win and the victory was no more than they deserved.
An inability to overcome supposedly-weaker opposition has been a recurring theme throughout many of City's recent away trips. The failure of the manager to address, let alone correct, such significant character flaws should cause serious concern for the club's owners as they prepare to incur the heavy losses that will result from yet another season in the lower leagues.
As the despondent visiting hordes left the ground, only to endure a 20-minute wait in the coach park while police cleared jubilant home fans, news emerged of the death of Italian player Piermario Mosalini. This provided a grim postscript to an already dismal afternoon.
Millwall (4-4-2): Taylor; Smith, Robinson (c), Lowry, Craig; Henry (Trotter 84), Abdou, Wright, Barron; Keogh (Batt 90+5), Kane. Unused subs: Forde, Dunne, Feeney.
Goals: Kane 23, Keogh 55 pen
Booked: Lowry
City (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Peltier (Howard 76), Morgan, Bamba, Konchesky; Gallagher (Dyer 58), Wellens (c) (Drinkwater 69), King, Marshall; Beckford, Nugent. Unused subs: St. Ledger, Schlupp.
Goal: Drinkwater 82
Booked: Konchesky, Peltier
Attendance: 11,525 (1,400 away)
Referee: Phil Gibbs (West Midlands)
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