Substitute Garry Parker converted a penalty two minutes into injury time to
salvage a point for Leicester in a pulsating Premiership clash with Southampton
at Filbert Street tonight.
Parker sent Saints keeper Paul Jones the wrong way from the spot after an
apparent hand-ball by Matthew Le Tissier in a frantic goalmouth scramble.
But it was the result that neither side had wanted in the battle for a UEFA
Cup place, as it leaves both sides on the fringe of the chasing pack in
mid-table.
Southampton looked to have done enough to collect a fourth away win of the
campaign thanks chiefly to two goals from Norwegian striker Egil Ostenstad,
after surviving an incredible second-half bombardment.
Leicester camped in the Saints half for long periods, with wing-back Steve
Guppy giving them a searching examination with a string of testing crosses.
They managed 15 shots on target, but a splendid display by Jones, desperate
last-ditch defending and some poor finishing enabled them to survive until
injury time.
Leicester dominated the early stages and Muzzy Izzet should have given them
the lead when he latched onto a centre from Guppy.
But he failed to connect properly with his close-range shot, Jones being able
to block his eventual effort and then turn behind the rebound header from Theo
Zagorakis.
It was well against the run of play when Southampton broke the deadlock with
their first worthwhile attack after 17 minutes.
Francis Benali won the ball in the air and found Le Tissier, whose precise
pass freed Ostenstad and the Norwegian gave Leicester keeper Kasey Keller no
chance with a low drive from 12 yards.
But within 60 seconds Martin O'Neill's side were level courtesy of a
spectacular strike from midfielder Neil Lennon.
He dispossessed John Beresford, raced forward and sent a rising shot past
Jones from 25 yards.
It was a deserved equaliser, but Beresford then atoned for his error
by clearing a point-blank effort from Robbie Savage off the line.
Then, in the 27th minute, Ostenstad struck for the second time. Le Tissier
played a short freekick to Jason Dodd and his cross picked out Ostenstad, who
beat Keller with a glancing header.
The second half began in explosive manner with two goals in the space offour
minutes.
Southampton gave themselves a two-goal cushion in the 49th minute, when a deep
centre from Beresford was turned back by Le Tissier into the path of David
Hirst, who had the simple task of tapping in.
But Leicester struck back and Matt Elliott gave them a lifeline in the 52nd
minute, when he headed past Jones from close range.
That was the signal for a Leicester bombardment and Jones saving well from
Guppy and substitute Ian Marshall, before Heskey shot wide from close in.
But the Saints held out until Parker kept a cool head to stroke a low penalty
into the left-hand corner of the net.
Teams
Leicester: Keller, Savage, Guppy, Prior (Walsh 69), Elliott,
Kaamark, Izzet, Lennon, Zagorakis (Parker 64),
Fenton (Marshall 64), Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Wilson.
Goals: Lennon 18, Elliott 52, Parker 90 pen.
Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Benali, Palmer, Lundekvam (Monkou 68),
Dryden, Oakley, Beresford, Le Tissier, Ostenstad, Hirst.
Subs Not Used: Moss, Basham, Hughes, Richardson.
Booked: Lundekvam, Ostenstad.
Goals: Ostenstad 17, 27, Hirst 49.
Att: 20,708
Ref: G Poll (Tring).