Championship leaders Derby's promotion push stuttered at the Walkers Stadium where they let slip the lead and were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with Leicester.

Midfielder Craig Fagan netted his first goal for Derby to give the Rams a 1-0 half-time lead over the eighth-bottom Foxes, although Matty Fryatt scored a second-half equaliser to earn the hosts a share of the spoils.

Their one point extended the Rams' lead at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship table to three ahead of second-placed Birmingham though the Blues now have two games in hand.

Leicester's league position remained unchanged.

It was the hosts who had bared their teeth first, but Stephen Hughes' effort from the edge of the Derby box was sliced high and wide of Stephen Bywater's goal though a period of intense Leicester pressure would soon follow.

The visitors held fast though and gradually began to win a measure of possession though by the time Levi Porter was booked, in the 20th minute for a foul on Derby's David Jones, the Rams had yet to fashion a goalscoring opportunity.

Leicester penalty appeals were waved away when Darren Moore was adjudged innocent of flattening Patrick Kisnorbo as the City skipper raced to meet a Danny Tiatto cross from the left.

And Leicester felt yet more aggrieved when Derby immediately launched an attack through Giles Barnes who found Fagan in the left channel from where the 24-year-old slotted past advancing goalkeeper Paul Henderson in the 23rd minute.

At the other end, Barnes fired over on the turn from Darren Currie's supply off the left wing but the young midfielder needed treatment before the break after tumbling awkwardly in the Leicester penalty area.

Barnes emerged for the start of the second half, although it was Leicester who were first on the offensive after the restart as Hume fired marginally over Bywater's crossbar in the 49th minute.

Then, three minutes later, it was Tiatto's turn to fire over the Rams woodwork after Matt Oakley was robbed on the edge of the penalty box.

And next, from a central free-kick 20 yards out, Hume was denied by an acrobatic Bywater dive to his left.

Fagan tested Henderson after Darren Kenton had been caught napping in the City rearguard but the goalkeeper saved comfortably ahead of Jay McEveley picking out the unmarked Jones, though the former Manchester United midfielder could only glance his header wide.

And moments later Leicester were level as Fryatt, on as a 56th-minute substitute for Elvis Hammond, received the ball from Jason Jarrett, turned Dean Leacock and stroked a left-footed effort past Bywater.

The Rams survived another penalty appeal when Fryatt went down under Moore's challenge and, at the other end, Fagan should have wrapped up the game from 10 yards, only for Henderson to save the tentative shot.

Bywater saved late on from Porter.

Teams:

Leicester Henderson, Stearman, Kenton, Kisnorbo, Maybury,Hughes (Yeates 65), Jarrett, Tiatto, Porter, Hume,Hammond (Fryatt 56).

Subs Not Used: Logan, Johansson, Horsfield.

Booked: Porter, Tiatto, Jarrett.

Goals: Fryatt 68.

Derby Bywater, Mears, Moore, Leacock, McEveley, Fagan, Oakley,Jones (Bisgaard 74), Currie (Lupoli 80), Barnes,Macken (Teale 59).

Subs Not Used: Grant, Edworthy.

Booked: Macken, Oakley, Bisgaard.

Goals: Fagan 23.

Att: 24,704

Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).