West Ham fail to see off Leicester

West Ham 2 Leicester 2

The Foxes had taken the lead in the 24th minute through a David Connolly penalty but Teddy Sheringham equalised two minutes later before a superb strike from Keith Gillespie gave Leicester the advantage.

Sheringham equalised just before the hour before Marlon Harewood’s poor penalty was saved towards the end after Nikos Dabizas was sent off.

The game burst into life when Leicester took the lead through Connolly’s penalty in the 24th minute. Stephen Hughes was sent clear but as he was about to put the ball in the net he was hacked down by Bywater. Former Hammer Connolly stepped up to fire home the spot-kick.

But three minutes later West Ham were level as Harewood ran down the right wing and sent a deep cross into the area where Sheringham’s well-placed header gave Walker no chance.

Then Leicester took a shock lead through a wonderful strike from Gillespie. The midfielder found space and sent a dipping volley beyond the reach of Bywater.

Sheringham grabbed his and West Ham’s second goal two minutes later.

Harewood played the ball into the box for Bobby Zamora who backheeled into the path of Sheringham and the veteran striker made no mistake with a low shot beyond Walker.

Harewood then missed a glorious chance when he missed a penalty late on.

WEST HAM: Bywater, Newton, Ward, Ferdinand, Powell, Fletcher, Noble, Reo-Coker, Chadwick (Rebrov 45), Sheringham, Harewood, Rebrov (Zamora 51).

LEICESTER: Walker, Kenton, Hughes, Dabizas, Tiatto (Williams 61), Gillespie, McCarthy, Gudjonsson, Maybury, Dublin (de Vries 70), Connolly (Stewart 82).

Referee: A Marriner

Coca-Cola Football League One: Tranmere 5 Peterborough