Izzet finishes fraught Derby

Leicester marksman Sturridge celebrates

Derby County 2-3 Leicester City

Muzzy Izzet kept his cool to give Leicester City their first win of the season in a see-sawing and sometimes bad-tempered match.

Leicester fought back after Derby County's Fabrizio Ravanelli had threatened to cancel out two goals from Dean Sturridge in a frantic finale at Pride Park on Saturday.

The late drama boiled over into trouble between the two rivals and stewards at the final whistle.

Scuffles appeared to break out in the tunnel and police were called in to restore order.

When Mr Savage goes into the box he might take a little dive and that's what he did

Derby boss Jim Smith

Sturridge, who left Derby for Leicester in January, pounced after half an hour to cancel out Deon Burton's fourth-minute opener for Jim Smith's side.

And he kept his head to put the visitors 2-1 up after 64 minutes, as he held off the challenge of Danny Higginbotham before sidefooting past Derby goalkeeper Andy Oakes.

With just four minutes remaining, Ravanelli stepped up from the penalty spot to level at 2-2 after Callum Davidson had fouled Burton.

But with two minutes on the clock, Izzet, who missed a penalty against Ipswich Town last week, took on the responsibility again after Robbie Savage was brought down by Craig Burley.

Burton wrestles with Matt Eliott

The Turkey international scored from the spot, but only after referee Graham Barber had struggled to restrain the Derby protests by booking Burley and Ravanelli for dissent.

Izzet's penalty sent the Leicester players into raptures - with Savage leading the celebrations.

Taylor's job was on the line after Leicester lost their opening two league games.

But his players shaded an open east Midlands encounter, and if Sturridge had showed greater consistency with his finishing, he could have bagged a hat-trick.

Leicester's confidence was a stark contrast to the start of the match.

The visitors, who conceded 10 goals in their first three league games, had their defensive problems revealed once more after just three minutes.

Robbie had already been booked and did not want to get involved

Leicester boss Peter Taylor

Ravanelli, lurking just outside the area, held off the attentions of two Foxes defenders before feeding Burton, who swept a right-foot shot into the bottom corner of Ian Walker's goal.

Savage, who rarely sees eye-to-eye with former Crewe Alexandra team-mate Seth Johnson, was immediately involved in a clash with referee Graham Barber, who booked the Wales international for back chat.

But once Savage channelled his aggression into the game, Leicester hauled themselves back into the contest.

Akinbiyi went close before Matthew Jones had a header saved by Oakes, but the equaliser was not far away.

After 30 minutes, Sturridge was alert to Ade Akinbiyi's header across goal, as he steered the ball past Oakes with a clever back heel.