Carl Cort scored a dramatic late winner to condemn Leicester to a club record
eighth successive league defeat.
The Newcastle striker's shot in stoppage time took a deflection off Gary
Rowett and wrong-footed keeper Tim Flowers.
It was a cruel blow for Flowers, who was recalled to the side and made a
string of outstanding saves.
While Flowers was despondent, Newcastle skipper Gary Speed was entitled to
celebrate.
He set a new Premiership record today by making his 318th appearance in the
top flight, overtaking Peter Atherton in the process.
The Newcastle skipper saw his side make a bright start against a Leicester
team, who have endured a dreadful run.
Leicester looked nervous at the back in the opening stages and Junior Lewis
sliced a clearance into the stand to ironic cheers from the home supporters.
With Nolberto Solano suspended, Stephen Glass was recalled to the Newcastle
starting line-up for the first time since September.
Glass strode forward in the 13th minute and his 25-yard shot went marginally
over the top.
Then Flowers reacted instinctively to turn Kevin Gallacher's effort from the
edge of the area onto the post.
Leicester continued to look sloppy at the back and were almost punished in the
18th minute.
Speed was allowed time and space on the edge of the area, only to see his
effort drift wide.
Steve Guppy got away down the left as Leicester counter attacked and found Ade
Akinbiyi.
However the striker found himself crowded out in the area and was unable to
get any weight behind his shot.
Leicester had a narrow escape in the 27th minute when Gallacher chipped the
ball over Flowers from six yards but Matthew Jones cleared off the line.
Newcastle stepped up the pace and a minute later Cort was marginally
off-target with a fierce volley.
Leicester keeper Flowers, who has an arthritic hip, came to their rescue seven
minutes before the break. He reacted superbly to palm away a shot from Cort just
inside the area after the Newcastle striker had latched onto a clearance from
Lewis.
A mix-up involving Flowers and Lewis almost led to Newcastle opening the
scoring. While the Leicester pair debated over who should clear the ball,
Clarence Acuna nipped in. He released Cort but the big striker snatched at his
shot to send it wide of the target in the 42nd minute.
Leicester manager Peter Taylor made a switch in the 48th minute bringing on
Stefan Oakes for Jones, who had been struggling with a groin injury.
Newcastle continued to carve out the best chances and Christian Bassedas saw
his effort go wide of the post after Cort had played the ball in.
The home side were forced on the back foot when Akinbiyi sprinted forward.
However his finish didn't trouble keeper Shay Given.
Flowers then pulled off another save straight out of top drawer when he turned
a point-blank header from Bassedas onto the bar after Glass had delivered the
cross.
A minute later Nikos Dabizas stormed into the area to get on the end of Glass'
corner but only managed to power his header into the crowd.
Cort then smashed a volley into the side netting after Speed had flicked on a
cross from Glass.
Akinbiyi should have made the breakthrough for Leicester when substitute Arnar
Gunnlaugsson put him clear but he only succeeded in sending a tame shot into
Given's body.
Flowers again kept out Newcastle in the 75th minute, getting down quickly to
turn away a 20-yard free-kick from Speed.
Cort should have sewn things up but somehow sent a free header from substitute
Lomana Lua Lua's cross wide of the post.
But Cort made amends in stoppage time with a winner which prolongs Leicester's
losing run.
Teams
Newcastle: Given, Barton, O'Brien, Dabizas, Quinn, Acuna,
Bassedas (Lua-Lua 76), Speed, Glass, Cort,
Gallacher (Ameobi 67).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Cordone, Hughes.
Booked: Cort.
Goals: Cort 90.
Leicester: Flowers, Impey, Davidson, Rowett, Marshall, Delaney,
Lewis, Jones (Oakes 50), Guppy, Akinbiyi (Benjamin 84),
Sturridge (Gunnlaugsson 61).
Subs Not Used: Royce, Dudfield.
Booked: Sturridge.
Att: 50,501
Ref: G Poll (Tring).
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