Two months of torment finally came to an end for Leicester at Filbert Street as victory over Tottenham in a six-goal thriller ended a nightmare
nine-match losing sequence.
Manager Peter Taylor succeeded in putting one over his mentor Glenn Hoddle to
lay to rest the club's worst-ever League run - one short of a new Premiership
record.
The result meant everything for the supporters, who celebrated as if they had
won a Cup final. It has been a long road since they last saw their Blues
victorious, a 2-0 victory over Liverpool back in March.
Leicester set about their visitors with the hunger of a team who clearly had
not dined at the Premiership feeding table for some time.
The head waiters for the day proved to be their wingers Steve Guppy and
Andrew Impey who served up numerous tasty deliveries from the flanks and exposed
an aerial uncertainty in the Spurs rearguard.
Within four minutes Guppy had created chances for Ade Akinbiyi and Dean
Sturridge, the latter succeeding in planting a header against the underside of
the bar before the ball was scrambled to safety.
At times Spurs' centre-back pairing of Alton Thelwell and Anthony Gardner
were cruelly exposed by Leicester's strength and speed.
Akinbiyi was inches away from laying a boot on Sturridge's cross-shot before
Spurs were able to mount their first real attack, which saw Tim Sherwood test
Tim Flowers with a low shot that the keeper gathered at the second attempt.
Spurs looked to have weathered the storm but three minutes before half-time
Peter Taylor's team got the goal they deserved and again it was Guppy the
provider.
His left-sided corner cleared the Spurs defence, but Lee Marshall turned the
ball back inside for Gary Rowett to drill a low shot past Sullivan.
Whatever words of wisdom Hoddle then imparted, his team responded in gallant
fashion.
Seconds after Sturridge wasted a glorious opportunity when he volleyed
straight at Sullivan from just five yards, Spurs full-back Stephen Carr cut in
from the right flank and fed Simon Davies, who then produced a stunning
right-foot finish across Flowers.
The roar from the Spurs fans was still echoing around Filbert Street when
Leicester wrestled back the advantage. Akinbiyi spread play wide to Impey and
his low centre was met with a sublime back-heel finish from Sturridge.
This breathless encounter was now in full flow and on 60 minutes Spurs drew
level again.
Frank Sinclair fouled Les Ferdinand and after Savage's dissent had earned him
a booking and advanced the kick 10 yards, Carr exacted full measure with a
stunning curler from 25 yards which dipped over the wall and nestled in Flowers'
top corner.
Now it was a question of nerve and finally it was Leicester's mettle that
proved strongest.
Damien Delaney could have scored with his first touch after coming on as
substitute and barely had the defence recovered when Leicester went for the
jugular again.
Their tormentor was Impey once more crossing from the right for substitute
Trevor Benjamin to touch back for Sturridge. The striker found Guppy, looking
suspiciously offside at the back post, but he did not hesitate in stabbing home
from five yards.
Victory was sealed in the last minute when Savage drove home from the penalty
spot after Callum Davidson had been body-checked by Thelwell as he sprinted in
from the left.
Teams:
Leicester: Flowers, Impey, Sinclair, Rowett (Delaney 81),
Guppy, Davidson, Lewis, Savage, Marshall, Sturridge,
Akinbiyi (Benjamin 78).
Subs Not Used: Royce, Jones, Gunnlaugsson.
Booked: Sturridge, Savage, Sinclair.
Goals: Rowett 42, Sturridge 56, Guppy 82, Savage 90 pen.
Tottenham: Sullivan, Carr, Gardner, Young, Thelwell,
Leonhardsen, Clemence, Davies, Sherwood, Doherty, Ferdinand.
Subs Not Used: Walker, Etherington, Toner, McEwen, Piercy.
Booked: Ferdinand, Carr.
Goals: Davies 54, Carr 61.
Att: 21,056
Ref: M Dean (The Wirral).