Premiership: Leicester record first win in four months

Leicester 2 Blackburn 1

Two-goal Paul Dickov earned Leicester their first league win in four months and piled on relegation misery for fellow strugglers Blackburn.

The former Manchester City striker secured Dave Bassett’s battlers their first success in 17 Premiership matches since the 2-0 success at Aston Villa on December 1.

It was also man of the match Dickov’s first goals since his move from Maine Road for a nominal fee last month.

And, although Leicester are still doomed to the drop, this result could have greater repercussions for Graeme Souness’s side who face a difficult run-in with four of their last six games away from Ewood Park.

Leicester had been the dominant force for the majority of the first half with the Dickov-Brian Deane combination causing problems up front. Muzzy Izzet was also effective in midfield while the recalled Frank Sinclair impressed at the heart of the City defence.

Blackburn made more of an impression after they reverted from a 4-4-2 to a 3-5-2 system shortly after the half-hour mark and substitute Keith Gillespie was effective on the right.

But Leicester rode the storm in the early stages of the second half which saw Mark Hughes score his first Premiership goal for two years and Dickov gave the home side a rare victory in a troubled season.

Matt Jansen was prominent in the early stages for Blackburn, sending one cross-shot just wide and another low effort past the post.

But Leicester were soon into their stride and had strong claims for a penalty rejected in the second minute after a clash between Deane and Stig Bjornebye.

Dickov posed problems from the first whistle for the Rovers defence and after eight minutes he was celebrating his first goal for the club after moving from Maine Road in February for a nominal fee.

Deane flicked the ball into his path and Dickov held off Nils Johansson and went past Brad Friedel before scoring from a narrow angle with a shot into the roof of the net.

The striker could not disguise his delight and it meant that City had finally reached the double-figure mark for the season in terms of the goals they had scored at Filbert Street.

Leicester were on top at this juncture and Dickov had another effort blocked after skipper Matt Elliott had turned a free-kick from Izzet back into the danger area.

Elliott also had an effort ruled out for pushing on Lucas Neill but then Souness opted for a switch from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 as he took off Bjornebye and brought on Gillespie.

A serious head injury to on-loan Spaniard Jorge Yordi - after an accidental clash with Jon Ashton - also meant Souness had to make a change in attack with Hughes pushing further forward.

Lady Luck was on Leicester’s side after keeper Ian Walker had pulled off a fine save to parry a fierce effort from Hughes.

The ball broke to substitute Craig Hignett and his low drive thundered against the post and rebounded to safety.

But within a minute of the restart Blackburn were back on level terms as Leicester were caught cold.

Elliott brought down Hughes on the angle of the area and was made to pay a costly price.

Hakan Unsal floated over the free-kick and Hughes was completely unmarked as he sent a downward header past Walker.

It was his first Premiership goal since he scored for Everton against Watford on April Fool’s Day 2000.

Blackburn were now in command and Hughes volleyed wide after Walker had repelled a cross from Neill.

But Leicester retaliated and Friedel parried a header from Deane following a right-wing cross from Matthew Piper.

Hignett looked to be over-ambitious with a 35-yard free-kick but his shot contained enough power to force Walker to save at the second attempt.

But then Leicester stunned the visitors by regaining the lead through Dickov with 13 minutes left.

It was Dickov who won a challenge with Johansson in midfield and then made a run forward after the ball had broken to Savage.

The Welsh international played a perfectly-weighted ball into his ball and he drilled a rising shot past Friedel.