Akinbiyi eases Leicester through

Blackpool 0 Leicester City 1

When you have had Leicester's start to the season it is the result rather than the manner of it that counts. It will be a matter of secondary importance at Filbert Street that a Worthington Cup tie won by Ade Akinbiyi's first-half header usually saw the better football being played by the side near the bottom of the Second Division.

With Brett Ormerod as awkward a handful as a man who had scored four times as many goals as the entire Leicester team and, with Martin Bullock and Richard Wellens probing intelligently in midfield, Blackpool were frequently the team with more sophistication.

But they could not turn that into a goal, and Akinbiyi's effort after 20 minutes did much to take the pressure of Peter Taylor. Some of his senior players had been to see his chairman to emphasise their support for him.

"That's all nice," the Leicester manager said, "but the important thing for me as a manager is that they go out and do it on the park. I was always confident that I had the backing of the players, and there was no lack of effort and wanting to win the game tonight."

Blackpool had already carved out the better chances, through Wellens and Ormerod, before City took the lead against the run of play with a well-worked corner. Muzzy Izzet rolled it back for Robbie Savage, who was able to pick out Akinbiyi for a firm nod home from close range.

That temporarily took some of the sting out of the Seasiders, but Ian Walker, preferred to Tim Flowers in the Leicester goal and justifying his selection, had to save splendidly from Lee Collins before half-time.

Blackpool pinned back their Premiership opponents for long periods of the second half and looked set for a deserved equaliser when Wellens' weaving run put him through with just the keeper to beat, only for the shot to fail to live up to the quality of the build-up.

Leicester were only a threat on the break, although James Pullen had to save bravely from Izzet to prevent a possible second and Akinbiyi twice had a glimpse of another goal.

The crucial moment in Leicester's much-needed victory came in the last few minutes, when Walker made an international-class save from Ormerod's header, getting down one-handed to knock it away when it was destined for the bottom left-hand corner.

That was perhaps when Blackpool knew they were not going to be able to capitalise on Leicester's woes, although their search for their just desserts went all the way to the final whistle.

"I though we were fabulous," said Blackpool's manager, Steve McMahon, "we kept passing, moving and creating the chances, and we were a bit unlucky not to get the equaliser, because they were there for the taking."

Disappointed though he was, McMahon could appreciate the save that denied his side. "It was an incredible save. It was in all the way," he said. "It was a world-class save. That's what you pay £3m or £4m for a player for.''

Blackpool (3-5-2): Pullen, O'Kane, Reid, Jaszczun, Coid, Wellens, Collins (McKenzie, 68), Bullock, Hills (Simpson, 80), Ormerod, J Murphy. Substitutes not used: Barnes (gk), Clarkson, N Murphy.

Leicester City (3-5-2): Walker, Marshall, Elliott, Davidson, Sinclair, Savage, Lewis (Benjamin, 70), Delaney (Jones, 65), Stewart, Akinbiyi (Impey, 86), Izzet. Substitutes not used: Flowers (gk), Heath.

Referee: M Jones (Chester).