Leeds shoot down Leicester

Fowler reacts first to score Leeds' second goal

Leicester 0-2 Leeds
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Leeds' surge for a Champions League place continued with a win that hammered another nail into Leicester's Premiership coffin.

Mark Viduka and Robbie Fowler scored the goals which leapfrogged Leeds over Chelsea into fifth place, at least for 24 hours.

Leicester gave a debut to 19-year-old central defender Jon Ashton and he caused alarms in the Leeds defence with a long throw which Matt Elliott stooped to head straight at Leeds keeper Nigel Martyn.

It comes to something when you can say that Robbie Fowler is the top goal scorer at Filbert Street this season

Leicester boss Dave Bassett

Leeds domintated the early possession, with Leicester keeper Ian Walker parrying Fowler's shot after Viduka set him up.

A spirited Leicester side came closest to opening the scoring on 13 minutes when Leeds failed to deal with a corner and Elliott shot against the post from six yards out.

Olivier Dacourt, subject of a £15m bid from Lazio during the week, limped out of the action on 14 minutes but Leeds shrugged off that setback to take the lead a minute later.

  Key moments

13mins: Elliott strikes the post for Leicester.

14mins: Olivier Dacourt limps out of the action.

15mins: Mark Viduka puts Leeds in front.

31mins: Robbie Fowler pounces to double the lead.

47mins: Dickov hits Woodgate with close-range shot.

Foxes keeper Walker produced a superb save from Fowler's acrobatic bicycle kick but the ball sat up and to Leicester's dismay Viduka reacted first to nod the ball in for his first goal in 12 games.

Leicester showed plenty of determination without posing a serious threat and were unfortunate to fall further behind on 31 minutes.

Walker again reacted brilliiantly to finger-tip Viduka's shot on to the bar, only to see ace poacher Fowler was on the spot to head home.

Having notched a hat-trick at Leicester for Liverpool earlier in the season, the goal made Fowler the highest scorer at Filbert Street this season.

Fowler is congratulated by Alan Smith

Walker's luck was in complete contrast to that of Martyn at the opposite end.

Martyn misjudged another Ashton long throw on the stroke of half-time and was relieved to see Dickov land an overhead kick on top of the bar.

Leicester came out firing at the start of the second-half and after Matthew Piper worked his way to the bye-line, he squared the ball back for Dickov.

For all that we have come through - some of it self inflicted - we are in with a chance of a top-four place

Leeds' boss David O'Leary

The former Arsenal striker hammered his shot against Woodgate, who was being watched by England assistant coach Tord Grip.

Sloppy play cost Leeds a third goal on the hour when Kewell opted to shoot from a tight angle with Viduka and Fowler screaming for a pass inside.

Piper gave an impressive performance in front of Grip but Leeds almost added a third when Viduka just failed to make contact with Alan Smith's cross.

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Leicester: Walker, Ashton, Laursen, Elliott, Marshall (Sinclair 53), Oakes (Tommy Wright 86), Izzet, Savage, Piper, Dickov, Deane.
Subs Not Used: Flowers, Benjamin, Heath.

Booked: Dickov, Savage.

Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Woodgate, Matteo, Harte, Batty, Dacourt (Johnson 14), Kewell, Smith, Viduka, Fowler.
Subs Not Used: Kelly, Keane, Robinson, Wilcox.

Booked: Batty, Matteo.

Att: 18,976

Ref: S Dunn (Bristol).