FIVE KEY MOMENTS
Hunter’s late shot nearly wins it... as Foxes miss target
COD ARMY keeper Chris Neal can forget about the local delicacy of fish and chips – after earning himself a year’s supply of free pizza with a clean sheet.
In fact, the Fleetwood No.1 had it so easy that he could have scoffed a 12inch pepperoni one during the game, as Uwe Rosler’s League One battlers came within the width of a thinly sliced mushroom of making history.
It was Leicester who got
Hunter’s injury-time shot deflected off Benalouane, hit the post, rebounded off Jakupovic, hit the post again and then settled in the keeper’s arms. lucky at the Fylde Coast’s version of Highbury.
And when Ashley Hunter hit the post twice with the same injury-time shot, perhaps Fleetwood’s dream of reaching the fourth round for the first time started to wither.
Claude Puel just about got away with his decision to play a weakened team. He probably won’t make the same mistake at the King Power.
Neal said: “I don’t tend to eat too much pizza, but I might try a little bit more now!
“To be honest, I can’t remember having a shot to save.
“That was down to the manager. His plan nullified their threat.
“I expected to be a lot busier – but I am sure it will be a lot more difficult for us at the King Power.”
Jamie Vardy was missing with a groin problem – and so was most of the Foxes team that won the Premier League title. It showed.
Fleetwood chairman Andy Pilley got stuck on a cruise ship off the coast of Haiti after failing to arrange a flight home in time for the game.
And Vardy was handed the keys to his executive box as a thank you for the 34-goal season that earned Town a £1million fee in 2012.
Puel can be forgiven for paying lip-service to the knockout competitions this season after losing his job at Southampton last summer, despite guiding the Saints to their first major final for 14 years.
Leicester’s only chance came just after the halfhour when Demarai Gray buried his shot into the sidenetting.
“The team I picked was not a factor as changes are normal when you have played four games in 10 days,” insisted Puel.
“We have a lot of injuries and some illness and it was important to give some players the chance to play.
“I picked a team to win the game, but congratulations to Fleetwood. It was