Leicester City’s inconsistent form continued to surprise, after they ran out 4-0 winners over a struggling Doncaster Rovers.
City manager Nigel Pearson made one change from last weekend’s lacklustre 1-0 loss away at Peterborough, with Shaun St.Ledger dropping to the bench and Ritchie Wellens returning from injury. With a well documented fall-out between striker Jermaine Beckford and Pearson, many were surprised to see the former Everton hit-man retain his place in attack alongside David Nugent.
Leicester started off brightly, not allowing Doncaster to get into any form of comfort with a passing game that began to tear holes through the Doncaster ranks. David Nugent was the first man to come close to breaking the deadlock, after striking a rasping effort on target, only to be saved by Rover’s keeper Carl Ikeme.
Beckford also went close moments later, after latching onto a cross from Wellens and forcing Ikeme into another good save from close range. Doncaster’s struggles were made worse on 10 minutes, after Frederic Piquionne had to leave the pitch with a suspected hamstring strain. Chris Brown was his replacement.
Leicester’s efforts to take the lead paid off just after the 30 minute mark, thanks to midfielder Danny Drinkwater. The former Manchester United loanee was supplied with the goods just inside the box by Nugent, and delivered the ball to the bottom corner of the net; albeit with a scuffed effort.
Prior to the break Doncaster had a host of chances to draw affairs level, with former Derby man Giles Barnes looking lively and supplying the ever controversial El-Hadji Diouf on a number of occasions. Unfortunately for Dean Saunders men though, such chances were squandered leaving his team 1-0 down at the interval.
Despite a half time substitution for Doncaster, with Diouf replaced by Brian Stock, Leicester managed to double their lead instantly. A harmless cross from left-back Lee Peltier found its way into the six-yard box, then found it’s way through the keeper’s hands and into the net.
Leicester’s lucky early goal set the tone for the remainder of the game, with the home side’s dominance in terms of player stature and league position becoming prevalent. Lloyd Dyer was unlucky to see his effort saved on 53 minutes by the disgraced Ikeme in the Rovers net, after a characteristic run by Dyer allowed him to let rip from a close, tight angle.
Leicester further extended their lead from out of the blue on 77 minutes, with yet another fantastic strike from January signing Ben Marshall from just outside the area finding its way into the top corner of the net.
The Foxes continued to hold possession and their nerve in a performance that will please a previously disgruntled Pearson, after his teams’ defensive frailties have been exposed in previous matches. However, such frailties were well forgotten just moments from the game’s conclusion, with Paul Gallagher showing fans and management alike his case for a starting XI place. Gallagher finished with a calmly taken effort from just inside the area to slot home to the bottom corner of the net to complete the rout.
If Gallagher’s late goal didn’t seal Doncaster’s impending doom, then the forthcoming full-time whistle sure did. With the play-offs still in sight for City, the feelings between the two sets of fans couldn’t have been any more diverse as the players left the field of play.
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