Foxes Maul Robins with Wood Hat-trick

Bristol City 0:4 Leicester City

Leicester announced their promotion credentials to the rest of the Championship with a resounding 4-0 win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Saturday; Goalscoring sensation Chris Wood notching a first half hat-trick…

City dominated the game against pretty poor opposition and were ahead by the 11th minute. Marshall sent Wood in down the left and he cut inside the defence before beating Gerken at his near post.
Gerken’s afternoon got worse seven minutes later when he fumbled a Marshall corner from the left. Fontaine diverted the ball goalwards into the path of Wood who had a simple task finding the net from close in.
Knockaert then had to limp out of the action, replaced by Dyer, after a heavy challenge from Kelly.
The Robins had their first sight of goal on 26 minutes when Davies’ corner from the right curled  goal-wards before Dyer cleared it off the line, but City sealed victory four minutes before the break when James set up Wood for a low shot from the edge of the area that completed his hat-trick and an incredible six goals in his first three appearances.
Derek McInnes’ side were booed off at the break, in contrast to the delighted ovation from 1,800 travelling fans.
Six minutes in the second half City went 4-0 up when Wood returned the compliment, setting up James who burst through the middle of the Robins defence before smashing a shot past Gerken.
With the game won City took their foot off the gas, Wood was replaced by Waghorn and Marshall by Gallagher.
Chances were rarer with the home side finally enjoying a spell of possession, Marshall and Dyer both missing the target.
The home side’s first proper effort on goal came from Anderson with 18 minutes left and then Skuse sent a shot straight at Schmeichel.

This game was over long before the end however with City, boosted by Wood’s extraordinary goal tally, looking set to make a serious attempt on promotion.
Bristol City, however, are now looking nervously in the other direction, with Derek McInnes being sacked hours after the final whistle.

Bristol: Gerken, Wilson (Burns 46), McManus, Fontaine, Foster, Kelly (Reid 78), Skuse, Pearson, Cunningham, Stead (Anderson 46), Davies. Unused Subs: Heaton, Taylor, Elliott, Bryan.

Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Keane, Konchesky, Knockaert (Dyer 20), Drinkwater, James, Marshall (Gallagher 74), Nugent, Wood (Waghorn 63). Unused Subs: King, Logan, Moore, Futacs.

Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands). Attendance: 13,078 (1,786 away).

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All the issues that have come out to date this season: The Summer Special 2012; FOX 181 and FOX 182, will be posted along with the December issue FOX 183 and will be gift-wrapped (also included will be a set of 8 Leicester City postcards).
The recipient will then receive the rest of the season’s issues when they are published in 2013…

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City Concentrating on the Cup

Bristol City 3:2 Leicester City

Any hopes of success for Leicester City this season now rely on a tough away Cup tie at Chelsea, after defeat at Ashton Gate all but extinguished their play-off hopes…
With Nugent passing a late fitness test, Kennedy in for the suspended Konchesky was Nigel Pearson’s only change for this trip to the south west.
Leicester couldn’t make much impression on a patched-up Bristol side in a largely uneventful first half.
Pitman forced a good save from Schmeichel after a quarter of an hour; while at the other end  James was lucky not escape action from the ref when he collided with Beckford at a vital moment.
And that was about it, until the game burst into life at the end of the first half.
In the 42nd minute Dyer combined with Nugent before using his pace to go clear of his markers and blast a shot past James.
But sadly for City this didn’t give them a half time lead. In time-added-on Cisse got on the end of a Stead pass and steered the ball beyond Schmeichel.
It got worse in the second half, after Nugent missed a good chance Pitman then fired the hosts into a 54th minute lead from inside the area.  
Nigel Pearson introduced Drinkwater and Schlupp to the game as City pressed forward in search of an equaliser.
A Morgan effort was blocked by James and Nugent blazed over, before Danns eventually managed to bundle home a 77th minute equaliser after good work from Drinkwater.
City looked the more likely winners after all that pressure, but it was the home side who snatched all three points just two minutes later.
A Pitman shot was deflected onto the post and Stead was in the right place at the right time to net the rebound and win the game for the Robins.

Meanwhile, at St Andrews, Chelsea beat Birmingham to set up a stiff quarter-final test for City…

Bristol City: James, Carey, Fontaine, McManus, McAllister, Foster, Cisse, Pearson, Bryan (Adomah 69), Pitman (Kilkenny 84), Stead (Wood 81). Unused Subs: Bolasie, Gerken.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Peltier, Morgan, St Ledger, Kennedy, Marshall (Drinkwater 60), Danns (Gallagher 87), Wellens, Dyer, Nugent, Beckford (Schlupp 60). Unused Subs: Bamba, Howard.
Referee: M Haywood (West Yorkshire). Attendance: 12,033.  

Robin Robbery

Bristol City 2:0 Leicester City

City had a fruitless trip to Ashton Gate but Sven Goran Eriksson must be wondering how his side failed to take something from a game that they dominated for long periods but couldn’t turn that possession in to goals.

City were unchanged from the side that saw off Derby seven days earlier with Oakley returning to the bench after an injury lay-off. It was City who dominated the first half from the first kick with neat possession football and long spells in the Bristol half. 
King had City’s first worthwhile effort after ten minutes when James was alert to gather his shot following a corner. City’s best chance, however, came after twenty minutes when James needlessly floored King as he broke through but was running away from goal. It was a clear penalty but Howard’s straight, driven kick was stopped by James’s legs as he dived to the right. This gave the home side a lift, who up until that point had been under the cosh and feeling the heat from their own fans.
It was City who continued to make the best chances though with Gallagher having the best of those with a header that drifted just wide with James beaten for once. Not until seven minutes before half time did Bristol finally manage a shot on goal when Stead fired wide when well placed. There was an uneasy feeling amongst the 1,700 or so City faithful at half time; so much possession but nothing to show for it.
The second half started in the same vein with City opening up the Bristol defence again and again, Gallagher again coming close with a fierce shot and King a real handful for the beleaguered Bristol back line who were also struggling to cope with the aerial threat of Howard who once again led the line superbly. But, incredibly, it was the Robins that broke the deadlock just before the hour when a free kick close to the corner flag was pulled back for a woefully unmarked Pitman to side-foot the ball home with Wellens just failing to prevent the ball from crossing the line. This seemed to be the cue for City’s game to come apart and Bristol grew stronger and more confident as City became more frustrated.
City continued to create corners and chances but Howard was denied by James twice in close succession and the former England ‘keeper was having a magnificent afternoon.
Sven made changes in an attempt to turn things around but to no avail: Dyer for Vassell, Oakley for King (who worryingly pulled up with a hamstring problem) and then Fryatt for Howard who (along with every City fan behind the goal) was astonished to see his number on the board and made it clear that he was not best pleased.
City’s best chances from then on fell to Cunningham who had a clear sight of goal but fired over, and then Waghorn snatched at a gilt-edged chance inside the area but blazed over when it looked easier to hit the target.
Bristol now looked capable of holding on to their lead and they even managed to double it during stoppage time when Chris Weale threw the ball out wide, aiming for Gallagher, and found the feet of Clarkson who lifted the ball back over the back-pedalling Weale and in to the unguarded net. It was a farcical end to the game and City fans headed for the exit wondering how they lost a game that they controlled for most of the afternoon.
It is hard to single out poor performances because the side ticked over beautifully and kept the ball with some lovely passing football but failed to take their chances and conceded two soft goals at the other end. City urgently need a cutting edge and a spark in the final third that will reward the excellent build-up play and until they do then we will experience a few more frustrating games like this one.

Bristol: James, Fontaine, McAllister, Ribeiro, Caulker, Elliott, Skuse, Johnson (Pitman 46), Rose, Adomah (Cisse 86), Stead (Clarkson 65). Subs Not Used: Campbell-Ryce, Gerken, Stewart, Haynes.
Leicester: Weale, Davies, Hobbs, Naughton, King (Waghorn 71), Abe, Wellens, Cunningham, Gallagher, Vassell (Dyer 62), Howard (Fryatt 80). Subs Not Used: Berner, Logan, Oakley, Morrison.

 Referee: C Pawson (West Yorkshire). Attendance: 14,517.

The Late, Late Show

Bristol City 1:1 Leicester City

City managed to scrape a point from their meeting with Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Tuesday night, despite going a goal down in injury time…

City, unchanged from the side that beat Scunthorpe 5-1, almost took a first minute lead but after rounding keeper Gerken, Waghorn saw his shot blocked by Nyatanga.
Oakley then had a shot blocked before Brown had to be alert to snuff out a move at the other end, picking up a knock from Clarkson.
Hat trick hero Gallagher was busy but lacked the cutting edge of Saturday. One free-kick was directed round th epost by Gerken; another went narrowly wide and then the Scot sent a header straight at the keeper when it looked easier to score.
Carey sent a shot well over for the Robins while Weale produced a good save from an Elliott shot, but the half ended goalless.   
The home side began the second half in determined fashion and City were backpedalling for a while.
Clarkson fired a shot straight at Weale; Haynes chipped Weale but found the side-netting; and then Iwelumo dragged his shot wide when well placed.
City hit back and Waghorn got on the end of a Morrison cross but couldn’t keep his shot down. Then Oakley combined well with Waghorn but hit the post with Gerken beaten.
It was end to end stuff now and Weale saved well fromn Clarkson while King sent a shot narrowly over the bar. 
The game looked to winding down to a 0-0 draw however, when the 90 minutes came up. But City couldn’t clear a ball bouncing around their penalty area and Clarkson fired a shot on the turn under Weale and into the net.
Ashton Gate erupted, but was soon silenced as City hit back stright from the restart.
The ball was hoisted forward, Kermorgant nodded it on and Dyer latched onto a loose ball 12 yards out and lashed the ball past Gerken for an unlikely but deserved equaliser that sent the away fans mad.
Nigel Pearson commented: “I thought we played well and I think it would have been a travesty had we had come away without something tonight.”

Bristol: Gerken, Orr, Fontaine, Nyatanga, Carey, Elliott, Skuse (Sproule 60), Johnson, Clarkson, Haynes (Maynard 73), Iwelumo. Subs Not Used: Williams, Wilson, Hartley, Agyemang, Collis.
Leicester: Weale, Brown, Berner, Hobbs, Morrison, King, Dyer, Oakley (Adams 73), Wellens, Gallagher (N’Guessan 87), Waghorn (Kermorgant 72). Subs Not Used: Logan, Solano, Howard, McGivern.

Referee: S Hooper (Wiltshire). Attendance: 13,746.