West Ham missed the opportunity to move back into the Coca-Cola Championship play-off places as they drew with 10-man relegation threatened Leicester at Upton Park.
The Foxes had taken the lead in the 24th minute through a David Connolly penalty but Teddy Sheringham equalised two minutes later before a superb strike from Keith Gillespie gave Leicester the half-time advantage.
Sheringham equalised just before the hour before before Marlon Harewood's poor penalty was saved towards the end after Nikos Dabizas was sent off
West Ham had the better chances to take all three points but it had taken a while for the game to get going in a scrappy start.
A Leicester free-kick in the sixth minute from Danny Tiatto found Connolly but his attempted shot was saved by Stephen Bywater.
West Ham then had a good chance to take the lead five minutes later when Harewood hit a shot from the edge of the area that was brilliantly saved by Leicester goalkeeper Ian Walker.
The game burst into life when Leicester took the lead through Connolly's penalty in the 24th minute.
Stephen Hughes was sent clear but as he was about to put the ball in the net he was hacked down by Bywater. Former Hammer Connolly stepped up to fire home the spot-kick.
But just three minutes later West Ham were level as Harewood ran down the right wing and sent a deep cross into the area where Sheringham's well-placed header gave Walker no chance.
Harewood came close to putting West Ham ahead soon after but his shot drifted just wide of the post.
But it was Leicester took a shock lead through a wonderful strike from Gillespie.
The midfielder found space and sent a dipping volley beyond the reach of Bywater to put the Foxes in front at half-time.
West Ham brought on Sergei Rebrov for Luke Chadwick at the start of the second half as under-fire boss Alan Pardew looked to try and get his side back into the game.
And they had a good opportunity to draw level two minutes after the restart when Shaun Newton was sent free down the right and his cross was headed towards Sheringham, but the former England international could not quite connect before Leicester cleared.
He should have done better just before the hour when - with an open goal beckoning - he sent a shot over the bar, but he did not have long to wait when he grabbed his and West Ham's second goal two minutes later.
Harewood played the ball into the box for Bobby Zamora who backheeled into the path of Sheringham and the veteran striker made no mistake with a low shot beyond Walker.
West Ham pressed for a winner and Carl Fletcher came close in the 71st minute.
Harewood broke down the right and sent a low cross into the area, the ball eventually fell to Fletcher outside the area who sent a powerful shot just wide of the Leicester goal.
Harewood then missed a glorious chance to put West Ham in front nine minutes before the end.
A goal-bound shot was handled by Dabizas and the referee pointed to the spot before showing the Greek defender the red card.
Harewood stepped up to take the penalty but his weak shot was comfortably saved by Walker.
West Ham kept on the pressure in the closing minutes as they looked for a winner.
A corner from Mark Noble was punched clear by Walker before defender Anton Ferdinand headed over the bar from close range.
But the Hammers failed to find a breakthrough and had to settle for a share of the spoils.
Teams
West Ham Bywater, Newton, Ward, Ferdinand, Powell, Fletcher,
Noble, Reo-Coker, Chadwick (Rebrov 45), Sheringham, Harewood,
Rebrov (Zamora 51).
Subs Not Used: Walker, Brevett, Mullins.
Booked: Bywater.
Goals: Sheringham 28, 62.
Leicester Walker, Kenton, Hughes, Dabizas,
Tiatto (Williams 61), Gillespie, McCarthy, Gudjonsson, Maybury,
Dublin (de Vries 70), Connolly (Stewart 82).
Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, Moore.
Sent Off: Dabizas (80).
Booked: Maybury.
Goals: Connolly 25 pen, Gillespie 44.
Att: 22,031
Ref: A Marriner (W Midlands).
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