Leicester 1-1 Stockport

Leicester’s questionable home form continued as they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw with Stockport County.

However, the team have maintained their excellent unbeaten run in League One which now stretches to an incredible 22 games, and did stretch their lead at the top to 13 points for the time being.

Two goals in the opening five minutes looked to open up a potentially exciting match, first from Foxes right back Kerrea Gilbert, and then an equaliser for Stockport from former Leicester player Chris O’Grady three minutes later, but ultimately a bore draw was the outcome.

Manager Nigel Pearson made two changes to the team which snatched a last gasp equaliser at MK Dons on Saturday, replacing recently departed goalkeeper Mark Bunn with David Stockdale and the returning Jack Hobbs with Wayne Brown.

In a game containing very few chances of any real meaning, it was the home side who opened the scoring inside the first two minutes when Kerrea Gilbert’s cross from the right hand side took a healthy deflection to leave Fon Williams with little chance.

In fairness this was virtually the only thing the Stockport goalkeeper was tested with all game long from the home side, and it wasn’t long before they drew level.

Former Leicester youth academy graduate Chris O’Grady found himself in the penalty area before turning and placing an impressive shot past David Stockdale, only signed from Fulham two days ago.

Matt Oakley had Leicester’s next chance with a free-kick soon after, but Fon Williams was on hand to keep the ball out.

And the goalkeeper had to be alert again later in the game as he kept out a disappoitingly tame effort from Steve Howard.

Both sides were clearly cancelling each other out as the game wore on, with neither side creating any real goalscoring opportunities in the opening half.

Matt Oakley’s long range effort ten minutes before half-time was all Leicester could manage before the break.

Stockport manager Jim Gannon who had recetly pledged his future to the club after rejecting the advances of Brighton, made his first substitution at half-time, replacing Matt Mainwaring with Greg Tansey.

Nigel Pearson also made a change 10 minutes after the interval, replacing Bruno Berner with Tom Cleverley in the centre of midfield. Gannon too made a second change, McSweeney making way for Oli Johnson.

It was first substitute Greg Tansey who crafted the half’s first real chance when he curled his set-piece just over Stockdale’s goal.

Stockport were beginning to take more of a hold on the game than the Foxes, and Stockdale had to be on hand soon after to deny substitute Johnson.

Another chance followed in the 70th minute for Gannon’s men, this time James Tunnicliffe testing Stockdale, the goalkeeper equal to the effort once again.

Nigel Pearson made his second change of the game in the 73rd minute, Barry Hayles replacing the rather ineffectual Steve Howard, and the substitute immediately won a corner for the home side. However, Jack Hobbs was unable to get down low enough to turn his header goalbound from the resulting set-piece.

League One top goalscorer Matty Fryatt had clearly faced a torrid time agaist Stockport’s magnificent backline, and it was no surprise to see him booked after petulantly showing his frustration after being fairly muscled out by a centre back en route to goal.

It was a quite frankly terrible game; not one to please the neutral, but ultimately it’s another point for Nigel Pearson’s men on the way to promotion from League One. Stockport can take great credit from their performance as they too look to push on for a playoff place.

Leicester: Stockdale, Gilbert, Hobbs, Morrison, Mattock, Oakley (c), King, Berner (57 Cleverley), Dyer, Howard (73 Hayles), Fryatt.

Subs not used: Pentney, Powell, Gradel.

Stockport: Fon Williams, Mullins, Raynes, Tunnicliffe, Rose, McSweeney (61 Johnson), Dicken, Mainwaring (46 Tansey), Rowe, McNeil, O’Grady

Subs not used: Rigby, Thomson, Vincent.

Att: 16,378