Leeds were denied back-to-back league wins for the first time after being held to a 1-1 draw at the Walkers Stadium against Leicester.

United looked on their way to victroy when Robbie Blake fired the opener in the 45th minute.

But they kept the lead for a matter of seconds as a slip by goalkeeper Casper Ankergren allowed top-scorer Iain Hume to head home Leicester's equaliser in added time.

New Leicester chairman Milan Mandaric has promised to get the club out of the Coca-Cola Championship sooner rather than later, while at the other end of the table, leaving the second tier is exactly what Leeds are trying to avoid.

On the strength of this display both teams could struggle to fulfil their ambitions.

Leeds had an early chance when Matt Heath chipped a ball into the area, but Richard Cresswell's header lacked ambition and was easily saved by Paul Henderson.

After Jonathan Douglas headed Blake's corner wide, some clever footwork from Levi Porter and Jason Jarrett led to the latter getting a shot on goal which deflected out for a corner.

Leeds' best chance came on 17 minutes, when a corner found Sebastien Carole, whose wayward shot fell fortuitously for Jemal Johnson, but his shot on the turn was straight at Henderson.

In the 37th minute Ankergren was forced to back-pedal rapidly as Porter's lofted cross threatened to drop under his crossbar.

A minute before the break, Henderson came out of his area to clear a ball with his head and collided with Jemal Johnson.

The referee claimed the keeper used his knee and booked him, while Johnson needed extensive treatment and was eventually stretchered off to be replaced by David Healy.

From that free-kick Robbie Blake hit the wall, but when the rebound fell to him he struck it much sweeter to score his seventh league goal of the season.

Less than a minute later Leicester were level. Another teasing cross from Porter was missed by everyone but Hume, whose header was on target and - thanks to a costly slip from Ankergren - dropped into the net.

Two minutes into the second period Leicester debutante Shaun Newton made his first meaningful contribution, muscling his way past two markers before earning a free-kick which Porter fired straight at the goalkeeper.

Perhaps realising that the risk of losing one point was not worth the possibility of gaining two, Wise switched to a more defensive formation just before the hour mark which meant most of the game's remaining chances fell to the hosts.

On 67 minutes, a good passage of play found Porter in space in the left of the penalty area, but his shot was charged down by Ankergren.

Four minutes later Jarrett fired narrowly over and five minutes after that Stephen Hughes took one touch too many after being put through on goal and saw the chance gone.

A flurry of snatched shots and off-target long-range efforts followed as the Foxes attempted to grab a deserved winner in the final 10 minutes, but it was Wise's men who came closest to a winner.

With two minutes to go Douglas overpowered diminutive winger Porter and fired in a shot from the edge of the area which was only inches over the crossbar.

Teams:

Leicester Henderson, Maybury, McAuley, Kisnorbo, Johansson,Newton, Jarrett, Hughes, Porter, Hume, Horsfield (Hammond 66).

Subs Not Used: Logan, Yeates, Tiatto, Stearman.

Booked: Henderson.

Goals: Hume 45.

Leeds Ankergren, Richardson, Heath, Michalik, Armando Sa,Blake, Kishishev, Douglas, Carole (Thompson 59), Cresswell,Johnson (Healy 44), Thompson (Moore 72).

Subs Not Used: Robbie Elliott, Kandol.

Booked: Michalik, Armando Sa, Moore.

Goals: Blake 45.

Att: 25,165

Ref: G Laws (Tyne & Wear).