Leicester find their range at long last

Leicester City goals at Filbert Street have been about as hard to come by this season as visitors to the Millennium Dome.

Leicester City goals at Filbert Street have been about as hard to come by this season as visitors to the Millennium Dome.

Two goalless draws had been the sum total of their only home games so far but finally, against one of the Premiership's newly promoted teams, Leicester discovered their shooting boots. It wasn't exactly the floodgates opening but, after such a drought, Leicester fans will be grateful for anything.

The decisive second goal, that preserved the Foxes' unbeaten start to the season, came after 72 minutes when Matt Elliott sent a looping header from Steve Guppy's corner over a flat-footed Richard Wright to condemn Ipswich to their second defeat in four games and leave the Suffolk side contemplating what already looks like an arduous season.

Jim Magilton gave the visitors hope with two minutes remaining with a penalty after Elliott brought down David Johnson.

Ipswich, through Magilton, had dominated the early exchanges against a Leicester team without the injured Neil Lennon in midfield. With more than their fair share of possession, the visitors could have taken the lead after just seven minutes when Marcus Stewart, despite a hint of handball, rounded Tim Flowers and chipped an effort that Gerry Taggart headed clear.

That was the wake-up call Leicester needed. Having not conceded a goal in their three opening games of the season, but with only one to their name, they seemed more than a touch reluctant to get the ball forward.

It took Taggart, this time at the other end, to record Leicester's first shot of the game, but his low effort after 11 minutes was well saved by Richard Wright, diving to his left. But the Ipswich defence, with summer signing John Scales making his first appearance since his free transfer from Tottenham, was more than a match for the Leicester strike-force of Darren Eadie and Ade Akinbiyi.

Eadie, after 27 minutes, attempted a long-range effort that curled past the post and Akinbiyi followed that up with a wild blast over the crossbar.

The appearance straight after half-time of Stan Collymore for the injured Muzzy Izzet nearly produced an instant dividend. Eadie, now in a more withdrawn role, fired in a cross within seconds of the restart and Collymore, who has denied recent press reports of a rift between him and his manager, hit a fierce volley wide of Wright's goal.

Eadie, relishing in his new-found freedom, then proceeded to set up Akinbiyi for his first goal since joining Leicester this summer from Wolves for a club record £3.5m. With 57 minutes gone, Collymore touched the ball on to the former Norwich City forward and his penetrating run into the penalty area gave him the room to cross, leaving Akinbiyi to do the rest from close range.

Leicester City (3-5-2): Flowers; Elliott, Taggart, Rowett; Guppy, Savage, Oakes, Izzet (Collymore, h-t), Impey; Akinbiyi, Eadie. Substitutes not used: Royce (gk), Davidson, Gilchrist, Cottee.

Ipswich Town (3-5-2): R Wright; Hreidarsson, Bramble, Scales; Wilnis, Magilton, Holland, J Wright (Scrowcroft, 66), Clapham; Johnson, Stewart. Substitutes not used: Salmon (gk), Croft, McGreal, Reuser.

Referee: P Taylor (Cheshunt).