By Jemma Tappenden
December 8 2007

After a disappointing rare midweek loss to Coventry City at the Hawthorns, boss Tony Mowbray was looking for his side to bounce straight back away at Leicester City. But it would be a tall order, with nine first team regulars missing from a very different looking Baggies squad.

Cesar and Robinson were suspended, Kiely could not make fitness in time and Phillips, Miller, Hoefkens, Albrechtsen, Morrison and Clement all sidelined with injuries.  Keeper Luke Steele was handed a West Brom debut, and Martis and Hodgkiss also made full debuts for the Baggies.  Pele on the other hand received his first start for Albion in four months.   

Albion made a bright start to the game, and in the 7^th minute Brunt picked out the run of Hodgkiss down the wing.  The young debutant powered his way into the box which aroused panic in the Leicester box as Kisnorbo made a defiant block to prevent Bednar making contact with the ball.  Just two minutes later, rising star Teixeira intercepted a Clemence pass to stride down on the host’s box yet again.  Bednar, in space, was screaming out for the ball, but in a rare selfish moment the Portuguese star went for goal alone, resulting in him being disposed on the edge of the area by McAuley. 

In the 12^th minute Koren fed Gera down the right, leaving Kisnorbo with no option other than to deflect the cross into the path of Bednar, who headed just wide of the target.  City finally had their first chance on goal in the 22^nd minute when Richard Stearman broke down the right.  He threaded a perfect ball the ex Wolves man Carl Cort, who should have put the Foxes 1 up, but his shot was superbly blocked by Leon Barnett. 

Left rueing the chance, the Foxes found themselves a goal down in the 32^nd minute courtesy of Zoltan Gera.  A diagonal ball from Greening played in Brunt, who provided an inch perfect cross to Gera at the back post, leaving the Hungarian international to power the ball into the net with his head and put the Baggies up a goal to the good.   

Just 60 seconds later Gera almost provided for Bednar to get the Baggies second.  His deflected cross almost reaching Bednar’s outstretched leg.  Brunt took the resulting corner which was headed across goal by Barnett.  Martis was first to the ball but was denied a debut goal for the Baggies by Cort’s goal line clearance.  

 Albion had to absorb 10 minutes of Leicester pressure as the first half drew to a close.  The Foxes threatened in the 36^th minute when Stearman flicked on a Clemence free kick.  But Kisnorbo headed over from 10 yards without threatening Luke Steele in goal. 

Leicester were forced into an early change when James Wesolowski limped off in the 41^st minute.  He was replaced by Andy King.  As half time loomed Steele pulled of a wonder save to preserve the Baggies lead.  Another Clemence free kick causing trouble as Kisnorbo again headed towards goal.  But this time he was on target and the young keeper had to dive to his left to deflect over the bar. 

Half Time: Leicester City 0-1 West Bromwich Albion 

Albion continued to press as the second half got under way, Greening then Martis having decent chances to double the visitors lead.  Just on the hour mark it was Robert Koren who reacted quickest to a loose ball, but saw his shot deflected by Stearman. 

Scorer Gera broke away three minutes later, feeding a perfect ball to Bednar who controlled then let rip on the Leicester goal, but he could not get any clear shot in whilst under pressure from McAuley.  In the 69^th minute Martis placed a low right wing cross which flicked up off Kisnorbo to deflect of the chest of Bednar and hit the side netting. Teixeira showed tremendous skill when he left Kenton and Stearman for dead on the left.  He powered his way into the penalty area and fired wide of the target, despite having fellow Baggies placed in better shooting positions. 

It was to be a chance rued, as the next turn of events saw Leicester draw level under controversial circumstances.   Foxes keeper Martin Fulop punted the ball up field so far that it reached his counter part Luke Steele in the Albion goal.  Hume, who was pacing down on the ball looked to clatter the young keeper as he controlled the ball into the back of the net.  A furious Albion defence protested to referee Mick Russell, who waved them away as he brought play back to the centre circle allowing the Foxes their equaliser.   

The 75^th minute equaliser sparked life into Ian Holloway’s Leicester side, and Albion would spend another ten minutes or so under pressure from the East Midlands Foxes.  The biggest scare came as Barnett gave the ball away in the closing minutes of the game, substitute Jonathan Hayes pacing down the Baggies defence and unleashing a shot on goal.  But Steele did well to gather the ball, albeit on his second attempt. 

There was more drama to come in the 88^th minute, when Albion searching for a 4^th win in 5 away fixtures pressed for a winner.  Substitute Craig Beattie latched onto Pele’s defence splitting ball.  With just McAuley to beat, the Scottish International curled a perfect ball into the top corner of the net.  The 3,000 travelling supporters went wild.  With only minutes left to play Mowbray’s men comfortably saw out the minutes on the clock to collect all three points and remain in second spot. 

Full Time: Leicester City 1-2 West Bromwich Albion 

Gera (32) 

Beattie (88) 

Hume (75) 

Attendance: 22,088