Leicester frustrate Newcastle

Leicester competed well with high-flying Newcastle

Leicester 0-0 Newcastle
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Newcastle failed to stay level with leaders Manchester United at the top of the Premiership after being held to a draw by strugglers Leicester.

Alan Shearer wasted the best chance of the match just before the hour when he headed wide from Laurent Robert's cross.

It was probably our worst 45-minute performance of the season in the first half

Magpies boss
Bobby Robson

But Leicester fully deserved a point in their battle to avoid relegation after outplaying the high-flying Geordies for long periods.

James Scowcroft came closest to snatching a winner for the Foxes when he headed over a Stefan Oakes corner early in the second half.

But the home side did well to withstand late Newcastle pressure as Bobby Robson's side tried to snatch all three points.

  Key Moments

25 mins: Ian Walker taken off

57 mins: James Scowcroft heads wide

59 mins: Alan Shearer heads wide

Leicester, already without the injured Brian Deane and Dennis Wise, suffered a further blow after 25 minutes when goalkeeper Ian Walker was forced off with a back injury.

Former England keeper Tim Flowers entered the fray, but he had little to do before the interval as Leicester continued to play with a confidence belying their position at the bottom.

The Foxes, bidding to end a run of six League games without a win, began promisingly against their high-flying opponents.

Robbie Savage was booked

Right-back Andrew Impey tested Newcastle keeper Shay Given with a low drive and Frank Sinclair should have done better when he headed narrowly over the bar.

Scowcroft then sent a header straight at Shay Given and Muzzy Izzet, returning after suspension, was also unlucky to see a volley deflected wide by Nicos Dabizas.

Leicester's Robbie Savage was the first player booked for a challenge on Robert, and he was joined in the book by Newcastle's Noberto Solano and Sylvain Distin.

We can't score goals for love or money... they couldn't score in a brothel but that's not the thing to say

Leicester boss
Dave Bassett

The visitors' best chance of the first half fell to Gary Speed after 18 minutes, but the Welshman could not keep his header down from Robert's corner.

Scowcroft sent a header wide from an Oakes corner on the resumption before Newcastle finally started to assert themselves.

Shearer for once escaped the attentions of Frank Sinclair but diverted his header wide and Flowers saved well from Kieron Dyer as Leicester held out.

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Leicester: Walker (Flowers 24), Impey, Sinclair, Laursen, Davidson, Savage, Izzet, Oakes (Stewart 88), Rogers, Akinbiyi, Scowcroft. Subs Not Used: Heath, Reeves, Jones.
Booked: Savage, Impey.

Newcastle: Given, Hughes, Distin, Dabizas, Elliott, Solano, Dyer, Speed, Robert, Shearer, Bellamy.
Subs Not Used: Harper, O'Brien, Acuna, Ameobi, Bernard.
Booked: Solano, Distin.

Att: 21,354

Ref: A Wiley (Burntwood).