Blue Army column by Paul Jones: Leicester City make fans' wait well worthwhile

Isn't it the case that the best present is often the last to be unwrapped?

Leicester City fans had to wait longer than any other supporters for their Christmas treat with the game against Sheffield United kicking-off at 6pm.

That undoubtedly had an affect on the attendance, not least in the numbers travelling south.

But the 23,999 who did make the trip to the Walkers Stadium were well entertained and the bulk of them went home smiling after City's 2-1 success.

"Three good points," was how one fan summed it up as he headed away from the ground.

It was three very good points given the defensive upheaval City have had to endure because of an injury list which had the name of Jack Hobbs added to it at the interval on Saturday.

It was a hard-earned win, but a well-earned win over an in-form United side who caused some anxious moments among the City faithful in the second half.

All the more important, then, that City had given themselves a buffer at half-time.

The opener came via a Michael Morrison rapier-like strike which Mark Bunn did well to turn over.

"I thought that was past him," gasped a City fan on the verge of celebrating what would surely have been the goal of the season.

He need not have worried. Over came the corner, Bunn flapped and Morrison applied the finishing touch.

The second was not long in coming, Matty Fryatt slotting home a penalty after being upended in the area. It all looked plain sailing.

"Are you Wednesday in disguise?" the City fans taunted their rivals, sweet music to those who made the ill-fated trip to Nottingham earlier in the month and had "Are you Derby in disguise?" rammed (apologies) down their throats.

But, as we are always told, 2-0 is a dangerous lead. One young supporter trotted out the old adage before the break.

"If we get a third it's over. If they get one back, it'll be a struggle," he summed up succinctly.

How true those words proved. Hundreds were still making their way back to their seats when United got back into the picture.

"Only 44 minutes to go," said one sage, clearly of a nervous disposition.

Sides from the Steel City tend to have a bit of, erm, steel about them so it was no surprise to see the Blades rally. There were times when they threatened to cut City open again, but a third Leicester goal seemed equally as likely as a second for the visitors.

Lloyd Dyer, whose standing ovation when he was substituted late on was thoroughly deserved, Steve Howard and Andy King all went close to stretching City's lead.

However, the failure to find the net added to the build-up of tension with the clock seemingly ticking increasingly slowly. The Kop were right behind their side, though, and the fans turned up the volume in the closing stages.

City responded, dug deep and saw out an excellent win to complete a quickfire double over Sheffield's Blues and Reds.

They might have had to wait a bit longer than usual, but City's fans got exactly what they would have wanted at Christmas. Time to open the port, I think.