Leicester City 0 Stoke 0

Last updated : 11 January 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Stoke's revival continued as they held high-flying Leicester on their first ever visit to the Walkers Stadium.

It extended the Potters' unbeaten run to four matches, after previously going six games without a victory.

Leicester will be disappointed after missing the opportunity to close the gap on Nationwide Division One leaders Portsmouth to two points.

The game itself was marred by the red cards for Stoke's Peter Handyside and Leicester’s Gerry Taggart in what was a largely hard but fairly fought contest.

Afterwards Stoke's boss Tony Pulis said: "We played very well in the first half, like we have done in out previous three games.

"But in the second half Leicester showed what they are all about - very powerful and very dogged.

"So we are very pleased to come away with a point. I don't want to comment on the referee and the sendings off because I have done before and that has cost me a lot of money.

"We've just got to keep plugging away and reach 50 points which should keep us up.

"But there is a greater confidence about us now and that is always going to help." Leicester coach Alan Cork said after the game: "We didn't get going at all today.

"We missed that spark around the box which Muzzy Izzet usually provides.

"What can you say about the second half? All those bookings and two sendings off. I guess that is football today. But I felt that neither player deserved to be sent off." Stoke's well-drilled defence held firm in the first half and the Potters never lost an opportunity to hit Leicester in the break.

It was a tactic which almost paid dividends with Frazer Richardson almost catching out Ian Walker with a venomous drive in the 35th minute.

And then on the stroke of half time Alan Rogers slipped to let in Chris Iwelumo for a free run on goal but he lost his composure at the vital moment and drove wide from a good position.

Leicester had the better of the second half but again failed to find a way through Stoke's hard-working defence.

They came closest to scoring in the 56th minute when top scorer Paul Dickov lost his marker but then dragged his angled shot from 15 yards wide of the far post.

But the main talking point after the break was the sendings off of first Handyside in the 67th minute and then Taggart, a half-time substitute, who received his marching orders five minutes later after picking up a second yellow card.