Andy Booth gave 10-man Sheffield Wednesday a vital point with a superb strike
five minutes from time as Leicester's miserable run continued at Filbert Street
today.
Sub Ritchie Humphreys, who had only been on the field two minutes, volleyed
the ball into the Leicester box and Booth was on hand to fire past Kasey Keller
and into the top right hand corner.
The goal was undeserved as the visitors had been on the back foot throughout
the second half after Dejan Stefanovic had been sent off two minutes before the
break for his second bookable offence.
But Booth's strike was a huge relief to keeper Kevin Pressman, who had gifted
Leicester the lead when he could only help Steve Guppy's tame 28th-minute header
into the net.
However, it was some inspired second half keeping by Pressman, together with
sloppy Leicester finishing, which had kept the visitors in the game.
The two sides had gone into the match on the back of poor recent runs -
Leicester had lost their last three games and Wednesday had gone three matches
without a win - but there were few signs of nerves early on as both attacks
searched for the all important first goal.
Pressman did well to tip Emile Heskey's header away after just 45 seconds and
Keller then spread himself to block Niclas Alexandersson's shot after the Swede
had been released by Petter Rudi.
Ian Marshall, who was back in the Leicester line-up just 17 days after
undergoing a hernia operation, then fired narrowly wide after being released by
Muzzy Izzet and Keller excelled himself again after 13 minutes when he saved
Andy Booth's point-blank header.
Keller then made another fine save to foil Alexandersson, who was making only
his second start for the Owls, before Guppy played a one-two with Marshall to
split the visitors' defence but his shot was blocked six yards out.
Guppy then put Leicester ahead in the 28th minute with his second goal of the
season when he headed home Izzet's cross from 12 yards out.
Keller was called into action again when he saved Mark Pembridge's long range
effort and he did well to collect the ball at Booth's feet when the Owls striker
tried to round him.
Wednesday were then reduced to 10 men when Stefanovic picked up his second
caution for a foul on Robbie Savage as he became the sixth player to be shown
the red card by referee Graham Poll in a Premiership match this season.
Leicester started the second half determined to press home their one man
advantage and Pressman was called into action immediately after the restart when
he saved Matt Elliott's header.
The Owls keeper also had to parry Neil Lennon's fierce drive after 56 minutes
before hanging onto Marshall's 20-yard drive.
Wednesday were finding it difficult to relieve the intense Leicester pressure
and move forward themselves to try and peg back the deficit.
Pressman then saved at Heskey's feet after he had been put clear by Lennon and
the former Crewe man then saw his 82nd-minute drive held by the Wednesday
goalkeeper.
Booth then struck the crucial equaliser but even then Leicester could have won
it when sub Steve Claridge turned and fired home from close range, but the
injury-time goal was ruled out after Heskey was penalised for pushing in the
Wednesday box.
The draw means Leicester have now won only one of their last nine games and
manager Martin O'Neill must be wondering where his side's next victory is coming
from.