Leicester City manager Rob Kelly’s claim that there’s a meritocracy at the club and players will have to earn the shirt was quickly put to the test today when Chris O’Grady claimed four goals in a Reserves game.
Four goal hauls at City are fairly rare at any level but, having been left out against Coventry, O’Grady was clearly in the mood and grabbed his hat-trick before half-time against Ipswich Reserves.
The Premier Reserve League game was the one previously abandoned because of floodlights failure with Leicester winning 1-0 at Hinckley United’s ground.
This rearrangement was played at Belvoir Drive and Ipswich must have wished they’d accepted the first result.
O’Grady was outstanding, netting his first goal after 18 minutes from a Louis Dodds flick-on from goalkeeper Conrad Logan’s clearance.
Three minutes later he beat young Ipswich keeper Andy Plummer with a header from a pin-point cross by impressive right winger Max Gradel.
O’Grady completed his hat-trick on 42 minutes shooting home a perfect defence-splitting pass from midfielder Levi Porter.
By half-time the score was 4-0 courtesy of a firm shot from Louis Dodds, another marksman in consistent scoring form lately.
O’Grady grabbed his fourth and Leicester’s fifth on the hour and Ipswich finally responded with goals by Dean Bowditch and Jordan Rhodes.
City: Logan, Magunda, Sheehan, Porter (King 58), Smedley, Norval, Gradel, Wykes (Tejan-Sie 69), O’Grady, Dodds (McKay 46), Hamill.
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