City 0 Lincoln 0 (City won 3-1 on penalties)
City progressed a step nearer Wembley in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy after disposing of Lincoln in the northern section second round clash.
But the means of advancement was anything but the formality it should have been, as the home side once again failed to find the scoresheet, and were forced into a penalty shootout before finally seeing off their spirited fourth-tier opponents.
Had it not been for keeper Paul Henderson once again showing his prowess at saving spotkicks, City would have faced the most embarrassing of exits from a competition for which they remain among the favourites.
However, despite avoiding that ignominy, manager Nigel Pearson is left with plenty to ponder before Saturday's return to league business against Hartlepool.
For the second home game in a row, City were faced with a test of character and nerve against a limited visiting team defending both in depth and in numbers.
And once again, the team was found badly wanting. Commitment, ideas and mobility were all absent for long spells of the game as Lincoln saw their way to the shootout in relative comfort…..
Indeed, had the Imps shown a touch more ambition and self-belief, they might even have returned up the A46 with one of their most illustrious of cup scalps.
Henderson's saves from Dany N'Guesan just before half-time, and from Lee Frecklington in the closing minutes gave them glimpses of the glory which eventually eluded them.
But despite facing a Leicester midfield which was as lacklustre as any in living memory, Lincoln rarely put Henderson or his defenders under any sustained pressure.
Former Foxes favourite Frank Sinclair made his presence felt in the opening minutes with a crude challenge on City winger Lloyd Dyer. Although clearly well past his trophy-winning prime, Sinclair still retains an intimidatory aura which can strike fear into the hearts of the unwary – as several of Dyer's younger team-mates demonstrated all too often, repeatedly coming off second-best in 50-50 challenges.
One of the most dispiriting aspects of a dismal evening was the complete failure of central midfield duo Andy King and James Wesolowski, both widely touted among certain sections of the City fanbase as Premier League prospects, to impose themselves on the game.
Despite his goal on Saturday, King's form has deteriorated sharply since his return from Wales Under-21 duty. With no replacement playmaker currently in waiting, this will be a particular concern to Pearson.
But the midfield was far from the only malfunctioning area of the team. The wingers all too often wasted crosses, while the defence frequently conceded possession with aimless airborne clearances. In attack, the situation was equally dire, with Lincoln keeper Ayden Duffy having to wait over an hour before fielding his first shot on target.
Ironically, the home side's best spell of the game came immediately following the loss of sub Max Gradel in the dying minutes with what looked a serious injury. With the penalty lottery looming, the team were finally roused into a state approaching urgency, where they should have been from the kick-off. Matty Fryatt, previously dormant for most of the second half burst clear in stoppage time, only to shoot straight at Duffy.
However Henderson's heroics in saving weak penalties from Scott Kerr and N'Guesan ensured neither he nor his team-mates would need to dwell on such wastefulness. Leicester's place in the next stage was finally secured when Sinclair sent his penalty over the bar to the undisguised relief of most of the 8000+ crowd.
Among all the dross on display, a poignant reminder of past glories was provided by the City bench – the unused subs of Martin and O'Neill.
Leicester: Henderson, Hobbs: Tunchev, Morrison, Berner; Adams, Wesolowski, A. King, Dyer (Gradel 56, Powell 88); Howard (C.King 45), Fryatt.
Bookings: Berner, Tunchev
Lincoln: Duffy: Sinclair, Hone, Kovacs, Beevers, N'Guesan, Frecklington, Clarke, Kerr, John-Lewis (Wright 71); Patulea (Gall 73).
Booking: Beevers.
Shootout details: Berner scored 1-0, Frecklington scored 1-1, Fryatt scored 2-1, Kerr missed 2-1, A. King missed 2-1, N'Guesan missed 2-1, Wesolowski scored 3-1, Sinclair missed 3-1.
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