Teams:

Leicester: Flowers, Rowett, Elliott, Taggart, Guppy, Impey, R. Savage, Oakes, Izzet (Collymore 45), Akinbiyi, Eadie.

Subs Not Used: Royce, Davidson, Gilchrist, Cottee.

Booked: Taggart.

Goals: Akinbiyi 57, Elliott 73.

Ipswich: R. Wright, Wilnis, Clapham, Bramble, Scales, Hriedarsson, Magilton, Holland, J. Wright (Scowcroft 66),Johnson, Stewart.

Subs Not Used: Salmon, Croft, McGreal, Reuser.

Booked: Bramble.

Goals: Magilton 89 pen.

Att: 19,598

Ref: P Taylor (Cheshunt).

Regal Collymore - Unseats Green King

Leicester City 2 Ipswich Town 1

Peter Gilbert 6.9.00.

If Peter Taylor can learn one thing from this match it would have to be that when SK1 ask the manager to 'Start The Wave' he ignores them. His predecessor learned this lesson the hard way and after 80 minutes when he succumbed to fan flattery City began to wobble and conceded a late penalty.
The first half of this game was fairly even; two hard working and neat teams playing good possession football in midfield but without any real penetration. Richard Wright did have to make a couple of good saves however, one from a Taggart shot, one from an Akinbiyi dart and shot and he even had to pluck one off the line from one of his own defenders. But City looked 'lack lustre' and badly missed the incisive influence of Lennon who's sidekick Izzett had to go off at half time after a series of injuries.
From the beginning of the second half however, Stan came on and showed what a bit of imagination and vision could do. He was flicking the ball about gracefully and bringing his team mates into the action and quickly emerged as the difference between the two sides.
One such manoeuvre produced the first goal, he collected the ball and fed Eadie who flashed forward 10 yards and crossed into the danger zone where Akinbiyi was at hand to reach forward and poke the ball into the net. He was clearly overjoyed and no-one could catch him as he celebrated. A few minutes later he received a similar ball but he was still on cloud 9 and his first touch was not gentle and so the ball bounced away from him.
Collymore next won a corner which Guppy took with back spin and precision. The ball dropped on to the head of Elliott who looped the ball over a flat footed Wright and into the net - 2-0.
Savage prompted and probed and ran and tackled like a demon whereas too many of his colleagues were already in the bar and celebrating. Ipswich pulled a goal back with a minute to go when Jim Magilton scored from the penalty spot after Elliott had brought down David Johnson.
This lack of concentration gave Ipswich hope but City hung on to grab the 3 points and are now sitting very nicely in third place.
Stop the league now, we're in the champions league.
City's political problems off the pitch lie a long way East of Ipswich and a footballing world away.

Player Performance

Flowers: Had little to do, and nearly got to the penalty..
Rowett: The James Bond image remains untarnished, he had a classy evening.
Elliott: Thoroughly good bloke
Taggart: Gritty uncompromising and very unpleasant to attackers.
Impey: Played some nice stuff, good crosses, worked hard.
Guppy: Time is running out.
Oakes: Too many long passes went astray
Izzett: Below par all evening
Savage: Brilliant effort boyo ***** Star Man
Akinbiyi: Another improvement, took his goal well
Eadie: The Ipswich fans hated him for his Norwich connections; he played very well and shut them up

Subs:
Collymore: Came on for Izzett. This bloke can play football with vision and imagination, his fitness is coming back too.