Leicester City v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Football League Championship

Leicester City :
Weale, Morrison (Solano 61), Brown, Berner, Hobbs, Oakley (Kermorgant 61), King, Dyer, Wellens, Waghorn, Gallagher (N'Guessan 83).
Subs not used:
Logan, McGivern, Bruce, Howard.

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Williams, Jones, Mirfin, Raynes, Togwell, McCann, O'Connor, J.Wright, Hayes, Hooper.
Subs not used:
Lillis, A.Wright, Sparrow, Woolford, McDermott, Morris, Forte.

SULSESC REPORT

by Leicester Mercury at Walkers Stadium

After consecutive goalless home draws and the loss of top scorer Matty Fryatt, no-one could have predicted Leicester City would record their biggest win at the Walkers Stadium.

However, City's intriguing Championship campaign took another incredible twist as they put Scunthorpe United to the sword in emphatic fashion.

After the disappointment of Tuesday night's frustrating stalemate with Doncaster Rovers and the news that Fryatt would be out of action for two months with a broken jaw that required surgery, City needed a boost.

Nigel Pearson's men lifted any lingering gloom from Tuesday by hammering the Iron into submission.

Four goals in the first 34 minutes left the visitors scratching their heads in puzzlement and City fans cheering in delighted amazement.

A side that had scored only 18 goals in their previous 15 home league games were now embarking on a ruthless goal-scoring spree and leading the charge was a striker who had scored only twice all season, Paul Gallagher.

Gallagher has been somewhat of an enigma since joining from Blackburn Rovers in the summer. He has shown plenty of glimpses of his obvious talent but the big question still lingered over how his talents should be best utilised and whether he could turn into a consistent and prolific match-winner.

If fans still play tactics on the tables of the local cafes using various condiments, Gallagher has been the brown sauce, red sauce, and the salt and pepper this season.

Pearson has used the 25-year-old in a variety of different positions in a bid to unlock his potential but the trickle of talent shown so far became an avalanche as he produced a fantastic performance.

His first goal had a touch of fortune about it as his right-footed strike in the 16th minute, when City were already a goal to the good, took a strong deflection to fire it into the top corner, but then he added his second, and City's third, with an almost effortless free-kick into the bottom corner in the 25th minute.

Iron keeper Joe Murphy may be disappointed because he lined up his wall to cover the near post only to be beaten too easily at the far stick, but Gallagher deserved the credit for his almost-nonchalant conversion from 20 yards out.

He wrapped up the first hat-trick of his career with City's fifth in the 73rd minute when Richie Wellens picked him out from long range and, with Murphy racing out of his goal, Gallagher, who is nicknamed "Jedward" by his team-mates, flicked the ball over Murphy with a cheeky back header. On this form, Gallagher certainly has the X-Factor.

Gallagher certainly was not alone in producing his best performance of the season. Twenty-year-old Martyn Waghorn was given the responsibility of leading the City attack in place of the unfortunate Fryatt and he relished his opportunity.

Waghorn produced a performance of such maturity to link up play and bring his team-mates into the game that Pearson may not need to bring in another striker to cover for Fryatt.

Pearson may have wanted to recruit a new forward but his appeals to owner Milan Mandaric, who took over the club almost exactly three years ago, may now fall on deaf ears.

Waghorn scored a stunning strike in the reverse fixture at Glanford Park in November and he again obliged with another excellent left-foot strike from inside the area after Scunthorpe debutant Michael Raynes failed to clear his lines.

City were helped by some atrocious defending from the visitors, but the chances still needed to be put away and City fans will tell you that has been their side's biggest problem this season.

However, this was a day when City were at their most clinical and Scunthorpe's deficiencies were cruelly punished.

It could have been quite different had Gary Hooper converted a great chance after just two minutes but Chris Weale produced an excellent save.

After that, it was almost completely one-way traffic and Michael Morrision opened the floodgates with a near-post header from an excellent Waghorn free-kick four minutes later.

By half-time, Scunthorpe were left licking their wounds, but City started the second half in sloppy fashion and the visitors were given the briefest of hope when Paul Hayes reduced the arrears.

However, that only kick-started City again and, after Gallagher had completed his hat-trick, he had a fantastic opportunity to add more woe to the Iron when Murphy raced from his area but bodged his clearance. However, Gallagher was unable to steer the ball into the unguarded net.

City received a standing ovation at the final whistle and, while they must enjoy the moment and bask in the adoration of the supporters, they will know that the Championship can be a strange league and, just when you think everything is under control, the rug can quickly be pulled from under your feet.

City now face three consecutive away games and, although this was a superb performance, it still produced just three points.

Things can soon change around again in this division and City have only to reflect on what has been a crazy, topsy-turvy week to appreciate that.