Leicester eased any lingering relegation worries and dealt Millwall's play-off hopes a major blow with their first league win since the end of January.

Craig Levein's side had drawn four of their last five Coca-Cola Championship matches but teenage defender Richard Stearman and striker Mark De Vries grabbed their first goals for the Foxes with a David Connolly penalty sandwiched in between.

Although Danny Dichio headed his ninth goal of the season to equalise for the Londoners midway through the second half, Leicester secured their first league success since a 2-0 home win over Gillingham on January 22.

Millwall player-manager Dennis Wise, who left Leicester in acrimonious circumstances after a short spell in 2002, was ruled out with a torn thigh muscle.

He saw his side threaten first when Paul Robinson fired in an early goalbound volley that home goalkeeper Ian Walker did well to save, but it was a much-changed Leicester outfit that took the lead.

Foxes boss Craig Levein made five changes to his starting line-up, but his side worked in sweet harmony when Patrick McCarthy headed on Stephen Hughes' cross and Stearman - in for mumps victim Darren Kenton - stole in at the far post to crash the ball home.

Hughes and McCarthy then had successive shots blocked and Jason Wilcox, back in action for the first time since mid-October following a cruciate ligament injury, dragged his 25-yard effort wide.

The former Blackburn and Leeds midfielder took aim again soon after, this time with his left foot, but was again off target as Leicester pressed for a second.

Connolly volleyed over the crossbar from outside the penalty area and Millwall responded with David Livermore pulling his shot wide and Robinson's header forcing Walker into a fine save.

McCarthy and Daniel Dichio traded headers that were comfortably held as Millwall, prompted by Jody Morris, shaded possession as half-time approached.

Peter Sweeney volleyed wide and Dichio mis-directed his header from another corner.

After the restart Morris drilled a 25-yard shot wide and De Vries forced visiting keeper Ian Marshall into action with his effort from the edge of the area as the action continued to flow from end to end.

Goalscorer Stearman was forced out of the action through injury at half-time and was replaced by Matt Heath, while Wilcox made way for Keith Gillespie.

Sweeney tested Walker from distance again before Millwall equalised when Dichio buried a close-range effort from Robinson's knockdown following Morris' corner in the 68th minute.

But Millwall were not level for long. Lilian Nalis had gone close with a 20-yard lob and following a swift break downfield Connolly was tripped in the box by Matt Lawrence with referee Dermot Gallagher pointing immediately to the spot.

Connolly picked himself up and planted his penalty firmly into the bottom left-hand corner in the 74th minute.

Millwall went in search of an equaliser, but Leicester made sure following another swift counter-attack when De Vries headed home McCarthy's right-wing cross with seven minutes remaining.

The Dutchman then hit the woodwork in the closing stages with a right-footed shot from the edge of the area, but the points were already safe.

Teams

Leicester Walker, Stearman (Heath 49), McCarthy, Dublin, Maybury, Hughes, Nalis, Williams (Gudjonsson 88), Wilcox (Gillespie 45), de Vries, Connolly.

Subs Not Used: Moore, Hirschfeld.

Booked: McCarthy.

Goals: Stearman 15, Connolly 74 pen, de Vries 83.

Millwall Marshall, Paul Robinson, Lawrence, Ward, Craig, Sweeney, Morris, Livermore, Simpson (Impey 62), May (Quigley 79), Dichio.

Subs Not Used: Serioux, Elliott, Peeters.

Booked: Craig, May.

Goals: Dichio 68.

Att: 22,338

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).