Bolton leave it late to outfox Leicester

Bolton 2 Leicester 1 (after extra-time)

Gareth Williams scored a consolation goal for the Foxes, who gave their top-flight opponents an uncomfortable night.

Ricardo Vaz Te had a chance to open the scoring but his shot in the ninth minute was blocked to safety, while Jay-Jay Okocha had a shot fly over the bar in the early exchanges.

Leicester came close to making the breakthrough after 21 minutes. De Vries escaped his marker to get on the end of a good cross from Tiatto only for his header to go narrowly wide.

There was plenty of confidence about the visitors following their 4-2 defeat of promotion hopefuls Sheffield United at the weekend and they almost broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time when a 30-yard free-kick from Joey Gudjonsson went narrowly over the top.

Allardyce brought on Ivan Campo at the start of the second half for Gary Speed, with the Spaniard making his return to action following a broken foot and Okocha was taken off in the 52nd minute, being replaced by Khalilou Fadiga.

Senegal midfielder Fadiga sent Nakata clear in the 57th minute but he squandered the opening, sending a cross behind the goal.

Vaz Te then scampered clear of Dublin but from an acute angle sent his effort wide of the post.

Kevin Davies then picked up a yellow card after launching himself at Stearman, leaving the Leicester player in a heap.

Fadiga picked the ball up from deep and raced forward before picking out Nakata but the midfielder’s first touch was poor.

Bolton striker Davies had put in a hard shift up front and was replaced by Borgetti in the 82nd minute.

Leicester continued to battle away and almost came close to sealing a famous victory with Momo Sylla and Dublin nearly making the breakthrough but the game went into extra-time.

Mexico striker Borgetti made the breakthrough for Bolton in the 104th minute when he scored from close range after a goal-mouth scramble.

Vaz Te added a second two minutes later, skipping past two players before rolling the ball into the net.

Leicester pulled a goal back in the 110th minute thanks to Gareth Williams but it was not enough to take the match to penalties.

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Ben Haim, Jaidi, Gardner, Djetou, Okocha (Fadiga 51), Speed (Campo 45), Nakata, Vaz Te, Davies (Borgetti 83).

LEICESTER: Douglas, Stearman (Sheehan 109), Dublin, Johansson, Maybury, Hamill, Williams, Hughes (Sylla 70), Gudjonsson, Tiatto (McCarthy 84), de Vries.

Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).