Nugent edges Foxes ahead
David Nugent broke his goal duck to give Leicester a 1-0 first-leg lead in their npower Championship play-off semi-final with Watford.
Nugent netted for the first time in 17 matches with eight minutes remaining to give the Foxes a 1-0 lead to protect in Sunday's second leg at Vicarage Road.
It looked like Nigel Pearson's side might be left to rue their failure to take the chances they created, particularly during the first half. But Watford will also be disappointed not to have scored, with Ikechi Anya and Matej Vydra spurning one-on-one chances in each half.
Leicester started brightly, getting at their opponents from the off. Nugent flicked a third-minute cross from Lloyd Dyer goalwards but it lacked the power to beat Manuel Almunia and the Spaniard, fit again after a hamstring injury, smothered the ball.
Almunia was then in the right place when Ritchie De Laet's near-post header from Matty James' corner stuck in his midriff.
The relentless Leicester pressure was broken when a mistake by makeshift left-back Jeff Schlupp presented Watford with the best opening of the match. Schlupp's clearance only went as far as Almen Abdi but Kasper Schmeichel got down quickly to make a second parrying save before De Laet cleared the loose ball to the safety of the stand.
The episode gave Gianfranco Zola's team a foothold in the game and Marco Cassetti's 30-yard effort worried Schmeichel enough for the Dane to fling himself to his left as the shot just missed the top corner.
Dyer and Nugent combined again, this time Leicester's leading scorer made a solid connection but he steered his side-foot effort a yard wide. The visitors then had Almunia to thank as they went into half-time all square. The Hornets' captain blocked Anthony Knockaert's near-post shot after the winger had beaten Cassetti in a foot race and then cut inside Daniel Pudil.
Watford spurned another great opportunity on the hour mark. Cassetti's crafted pass found Vydra on the edge of the box but the Championship's player of the year failed to add to his 20 league goals and scuffed his shot tamely at Schmeichel. The Czech Republic international then hit a shot with some force from the left side of the area that Schmeichel pushed away.
Nugent then headed home Knockaert's free-kick in the 82nd minute for his 15th goal of the season, having been stuck on 14 since scoring the winner in a 2-1 home win over Wolves on January 31. Having sneaked into the play-offs Leicester will now feel they have the momentum to carry them to Wembley, and possibly beyond.
