Familiar tale as beaten City undone again by set-pieces
NOTTS COUNTY WIN 2-1 IN PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY HELD AT SEAGRAVE
LEICESTER City’s pre-season opener ended in defeat as their setpiece troubles continued against National League outfit Notts County.
Harvey Barnes’ goal had put a strong starting 11 into the lead, but City conceded from a corner at the end of the first period, and then from a free-kick in the second half.
City used 22 players in total,
Brendan Rodgers changing his team around at half-time, with many of those involved from the club’s development squad.
There was plenty of Premier League quality on show in the first period though, and Barnes, after going close with an effort just past the post early on, scored the opener.
He received a neat pass through the middle from Patson Daka, racing between the defenders and finishing coolly past Sam Slocombe.
Notts County’s Kairo Mitchell, a former City academy striker, was causing problems with his movement and the hosts needed Daniel Iversen to save low in a one-on-one to keep him out.
But from the corner, Iversen spilled the ball and Mitchell reacted quickest to hook it in.
City nearly retook the lead before half-time though.
Daka’s pressing won the ball back and Callum Wright, who impressed on loan at Cheltenham last season, hit the base of the post.
For the second period, there was only one senior player on the pitch in Kelechi Iheanacho, with the rest of the squad made up of academy talents and two trialists in Paul Appiah and Deniche Hill.
It showed, with Notts County dominant.
City needed Jakub Stolarczyk to make two outstanding saves to keep the game level, the Pole parrying away a firm header before scampering across his goal-line to superbly block a back-post effort.
But he had no chance with the winner as Aden Baldwin was given a free header from a free-kick about eight yards out.
In the final 10 minutes, City pushed for an equaliser and came close to nicking one.
Ethan Fitzhugh needed a swerving effort saving, and then Iheanacho bent a shot on to the outside of the post.
Wanya Marcal-Madivadua had the final chance, blazing over after cutting inside.