Foxes Survive Late Saddlers Rally
Posted on: Mon 12 Nov 2007
Leicester City's second string made hard work of Walsall as they ran out 4-3 winners at the Walkers Stadium on Monday evening.
The Foxes had a four goal advantage with twenty minutes remaining but three quick goals put the home side under pressure in the closing stages.
City took the lead in the second minute; a sliding tackle from Jonathon Hayes fell to Eric Odhiambo who was able to find the bottom corner of the net with a low shot from 25 yards.
The home side make the most of a counter attack on 23 minutes to double their advantage.
Paul Henderson saved well at the feet of Joao Batista Mawete before Sergio Hellings picked out Ricky Sappleton who avoided the Saddler's offside trap to slot the ball home.
Eric Odhiambo grabbed his second goal of the evening on 43 minutes. Ashley Chambers forced his way into the box from the left and saw his shot rebound off the inside of the post but Odhiambo was on hand to fire the ball into the Walsall goal and make it 3-0 at the break.
The Foxes began the second half where they left off; Chambers again came close dragging a left foot shot wide before Jonathon Hayes bobbled the ball past Walsall goalkeeper Joel Skeldon to put Leicester four up.
But the visitors forced their way back into the game on 71 minutes when a David McDermott corner was met by an unmarked Ian Roper who headed past Paul Henderson.
City were on the back foot again on 82 minutes when a low cross from Troy Deeney allowed substitute Alan Wilkes to score from inside the penalty area.
The visitors pulled a third goal back two minutes later. Alex Nicholls found space to run at the defence and his shot was squeezed into the net to reduce City's lead to a single goal.
The home side rode their luck in the dying moments as a header from Alan Wilkes was narrowly tipped over by Paul Henderson.
Despite the late rally, Leicester managed to hold on and secure all three points in the Pontin's Central League.
The Foxes return to Pontin's League action on Wednesday, 28th November when Huddersfield Town are the visitors to the Marston's Stadium.
City: Henderson, Kaebi, Cox, Hellings (Burns 45), Garner, Rowe-Turner, Odhiambo, Hayes (Kee 70), Sappleton, McKay (Chambers A 29), Djeziri.
Unused Subs: Pentney, Cobb.