Leicester out-Foxed by resurgent Coventry’s late show

Coventry City's faint play-off hopes were given a boost following a last-gasp 2-2 draw at the Walkers Stadium against local rivals Leicester City. Following a first half in which Nigel Pearson's side couldn't have been more comfortable, and ought to have been at least 3 goals ahead, Chris Coleman's likely unprintable team-talk inspired his Coventry charges, who thoroughly dominated the second-half and fully deserved their equaliser. Leicester took the lead through a well-placed shot from midfielder Andy King, which just evaded the reach of Coventry 'keeper Kieran Westwood. It was Lloyd Dyer, a constant thorn in the Coventry side throughout the game, whose cross was poorly cleared by James McPake to King, who curled a shot into the bottom corner evading the challenge of two Sky Blues defenders. The game was then mired in controversy as Paul Gallagher's cross was met by a header from King, which smashed against the crossbar and bounced down on the line. Television replays instantly demonstrated that the ball had not crossed the line, but the linesman without hesitation awarded a goal to Leicester which looked to have put the game beyond doubt. Leicester were proving to be excellent value for their lead, and King ought to have completed his hat-trick shortly before half-time, but instead fired wide following a fine cross from the right. Chris Coleman's side hadn't managed a shot on target throughout the first-half, but came out after the break completely transformed, no doubt thanks to a few choice words from the boss, and halved the deficit thanks to James McPake's clever volley from John Stead's knock-down. Following Stead's wayward header, Leicester goalkeeper Chris Weale saved well from Clinton Morrison, with the rebound falling to Richard Wood, whose effort was cleared off the line by former Newcastle midfielder Nolberto Solano. In the end the Coventry equaliser was just not only based on the second-half performance, but also in light of the controversy surrounding King's second goal, as Gary Deegan tucked away Clinton Morrison's cut-back to equalise, despite the fact that Freddie Sears had been in an off-side position and very much interfering with play when the ball came in from Morrison. This archetypal 'game of two halves' leaves Leicester in fourth place, six points behind Nottingham Forest and level with Swansea, albeit with a game in hand. Meanwhile Coventry move up to tenth, seven points behind Cardiff in sixth place, and will likely still harbour ambitions to reach the play-offs come May. Chris Coleman summed up the game rather aptly, stating "It was a classic example of a game of two halves", and adding "it was a good derby." Meanwhile Nigel Pearson delivered a stark warning to his players with the words, "I think it is a bit of a wake-up call for anyone who thinks we are over the line", whilst emphasising the fact that a draw was more or less a fair reflection. Whilst the attention of most will have been on events at Old Trafford, today's game proves the enduring unpredictability and excitement that continue to characterise the Championship, a league often maligned and underappreciated by the footballing elite.