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Leicester: Flowers, Sinclair, Taggart,
Guppy, Savage, Elliott, Izzet, Lennon, Eadie (Oakes, 56), Collymore,
Heskey.
Subs not used: Gilchrist, Arphexad, Impey, Cottee.
Booked: Lennon, Heskey.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Holloway (Summerbee,
45), Makin, Butler, Craddock, Rae, Roy (Oster, 71), Schwarz,
Kilbane, Quinn, Phillips.
Subs not used: Marriott, Williams, Gray.
Booked: Quinn, Kilbane.
Attendance: 20,432.
Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe).
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Leicester v Sunderland 05/03/00
4.00
Leicester
(2) 5 Sunderland (0) 2 FT
Collymore 17,60,87 Phillips 53
Heskey 34 Quinn 75
Oakes 9
Take That!!
Peter Gilbert 5.3.00
If Stan Collymore needs anything in his life, it's a ring of
steel around him to protect him from breaking out but also to
stop the gutter press from breaking in to his life. They follow
him and taunt him with 'may be true' stories. He only has to
swat a fly and he's accused of animal cruelty, such is life.
Today though was about football. Finally he could step across
the white line onto the Filbert Street turf and just be a footballer;
a particularly good one as it turned out.
Before the kick off the team came out and stood casually round
the League Cup that they'd won 7 days earlier. They made no big
fuss about the fact that in the entire history of Leicester City
football club they have at last won a major trophy at Wembley
, are now a major force in English football and are
the first team in Europe to qualify for European competition
next season.
We kicked off looking like a menacing force and which is fact
exactly what we are. Collymore and Heskey looked immediately
as if they were made for each other both with similar attributes:
a large physique,nimble feet, speed, aggression, aerial power
and an eye for opportunity. They played as if they had gone through
school together and had a unique level of understanding. In fact
the whole team seemed intent on setting them both free so that
they could exact their punishment on a hapless Sunderland defence.
First it was Heskey flick and a Collymore shot then it was vice
versa. Eventually something had to give and Heskey latched onto
a Guppy chip, he flicked it forward with his head - Collymore
followed the ball and smashed it into the back of the net from
the edge of the box with all the fine control of a dancer.
The next strike came from Heskey who latched onto a ball won
by Lennon in midfield where Leicester were dominant, he sprinted
on like only he can and clipped the ball smartly under the keeper.
It wasn't all Leicester ,they did go through patches when they
looked lethargic and hung over but they shook themselves into
action to take themselves in at half time 2-0 up.
If there was any complacency then it soon evaporated in the opening
moments of the second when only a good save from Flowers prevented
a life line coming Sunderland's way.
Eadie lead the charge for a while while Leicester's midfield
regained territory lost and their defenders slugged it out being
reminded of two close shaves they had survived in the first half
one a free kick which had hit the bar and another near own goal
which hit the same part of the woodwork.
After 50 mins though Phillips scored with clinical ease to get
his team back in the game and remind anyone watching that he's
not a bad striker either.
Leicester in fact have not kept a clean sheet since Aug 30th.
Some silly bookings broke up the play and Eadie had to go off
after overstretching himself whilst defending in the box. He
was replaced by Stefan Oakes.
After 60 mins. a quick free kick was played on to Lennon who
floated the ball into the box, Stanley Victor met it with his
head and sent it unstoppably into the top corner to make the
scores 3-1.Guppy missed an easy chance to put the game beyond
salvation when a ball fell at his left foot
Quinn was by now the only striker not to have scored but after
75 mins he showed great control in the box to bring the ball
under control before sliding it past Flowers 3-2.
Oakes' influence on the game began to grow and he set Guppy free
time and again and still found time to whip in some devilish
passes and crosses himself. Late on in the game he spun around
in midfield, set Heskey free with a long pass onto the right
wing where the young striker shot away from his markers, clipped
a ball across the box into the path of an unattended Stanley
Victor Collymore who tapped the ball home for an incredible hat
trick.
In injury time Oakes took a free kick on the edge of the box
and you just knew somehow that it would end up in the back of
the net and make the final score 5-2. Boring boring Leicester
went out the cries. The gutter press was momentarily silenced
and Stan went home with the match ball and a Man of the Match
award. I would however advise him to check under his carpet before
he lays his head on the pillow, who knows what he might say in
his sleep.
I was trying to think what negative press Stanley Victor might
receive - it could only be that it's early days yet. They're
right of course - he can only get better to keep them quiet and
he just might do that.
I can't wait for the next game.
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