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Search for4.57pm: Cheltenham Town 0 Leicester City 4 - full-time.
Saturday, August 30, 2008, 16:56
The Foxes made a dream start on their first competitive appearance at Whaddon Road, opening the scoring after three minutes.
Robins goalkeeper Shane Higgs saved a shot by Matty Fryatt, but Lloyd Dyer seized the loose ball, turned sharply and smashed an unstoppable drive into the roof of the net.
Cheltenham almost responded quickly, but Craig Armstrong’s shot after the Foxes failed to deal with Alex Russell’s corner was cleared off the line by Kerrea Gilbert.
The in-form Fryatt capitalised on a breakdown in communications from Armstrong and Michael Townsend, stealing in and crossing to Steve Howard, whose shot was off target.
Higgs saved Matt Oakley’s shot low to his right and Fryatt beat Townsend forcing Higgs into a fine one-handed stop in the 19th minute.
A swift counter attack from Leicester opened Cheltenham up again in the 25th minute and Fryatt burst through one-on-one but he was forced wide by Higgs and his attempt rolled across the face of goal and wide of the far post.
Andy King curled a shot against the top of the cross bar with Higgs at full stretch and Cheltenham were dealt another blow after half an hour when Paul Connor was forced off with a knee injury.
Connor was only player to offer any height and aerial threat in an attacking sense for Keith Downing’s men and he was replaced by Andy Lindegaard, with Jennison Myrie-Williams joining Ashley Vincent up front.
Cheltenham had been second best for the majority of the opening half, but they went close twice before the break.
Lindegaard and Vincent combined to set up Myrie-Williams, who shot straight at David Martin from a promising position and Vincent’s sharp turn and shot was held by Martin low to his left.
Leicester’s advantage was doubled in the 54th minute when Armstrong made a fine tackle on Fryatt to momentarily relieve the pressure.
With Armstrong committed, Fryatt sent the ball back to Oakley near the edge of the penalty area and he beat Higgs was a fine strike inside the left upright.
King tried his luck from long range in the 62nd minute, but his effort flashed wide, but the Foxes looked capable of adding to their tally.
Giant striker Howard headed substitute Max Gradel’s cross into the net after 72 minutes, but the referee spotted an infringement and disallowed the goal.
Fryatt smashed in a superb free-kick from 20 yards after Armstrong fouled Howard and Dyer added a breakaway fourth 10 minutes from the end to consign the Robins to their heaviest home defeat since Boxing Day 2002.
CHELTENHAM TOWN: S Higgs; J Gill, M Townsend, C Armstrong (A Gallinagh 81), A Wright; D Sinclair (B Gill 86) D Bird, A Russell, J Myrie-Williams; P Connor (A Lindegaard 33) , A Vincent. Subs not used: G Caines, S P A Brown.
LEICESTER CITY: D Martin; K Gilbert, M Morrison, J Hobbs A Tunchev (C Powell 81); P Dickov (M Gradel 60), M Oakley, A King, L Dyer; S Howard, M Fryatt (D Campbell 81). Subs not used: P Henderson, J Wesolowski.
REFEREE: K Evans (Greater Manchester).
ATTENDANCE: 5,344 (1,782 from Leicester).
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