Matty Fryatt's injury adds to Leicester City's goal-famine worries

Leicester City's play-off hopes were dealt a double blow at the Walkers Stadium last night.

They were held to a goalless stalemate by relegation battlers Doncaster Rovers and lost top scorer Matty Fryatt in the process to a serious injury.

Fryatt was stretchered off in the first half after a heavy collision with Rovers captain Brian Stock and sustained a double fracture of the jaw.

His absence will not help shot-shy City, who again struggled in front of goal on home soil.

Their last outing at the Walkers against Newcastle United also ended goalless, and 28 league games involving City this season have yielded only 59 goals (31 for, 28 against).

Only those involving Swansea have produced fewer.

Doncaster have certainly not looked like a side fighting relegation and their performances over the last four games should have been rewarded with much more than four consecutive defeats.

Rovers are learning fast that in the Championship you have to take your chances when you are on top or face the consequences, a lesson that City have certainly learned this season.

City manager Nigel Pearson made one change from the side that beat Blackpool on Saturday, with Richie Wellens returning to the midfield after suspension to face his former club.

That meant Martyn Waghorn, who has been impressive in the previous two games, dropped to the bench.

Nolberto Solano also returned to the bench after missing the trip to Bloomfield Road for family reasons.

City stuck to the three-man attack formation that had rejuvenated them in recent weeks but they struggled to find their rhythm in a first half in which neither goalkeeper was forced to make any save of note.

Neither side could muster any sort of quality in the final third and attack after attack petered out with a poor pass or slack final ball.

Rovers had the first shot on goal after four minutes through Mark Wilson and the visitors looked the more lively early on.

It took until the 29th minute for City to spring to life.

Previously, the only attempts on goal they could muster were a Dany N'Guessan shot, which was well wide, and an Andy King half-volley, which sailed over the bar.

However, Paul Gallagher then sent Fryatt free down the right and his low cross was only half cleared by the Rovers defence.

Fryatt challenged for the loose ball on the edge of the box and went down heavily after a collision with Stock and, while he lay motionless on the turf, City created their best chance as Michael Morrison's cross to the back post was met by Matt Oakley who headed wide.

Of more concern, though, was the condition of Fryatt, who was treated on the pitch for seven minutes before being stretchered off on a spinal board and taken to hospital.

Waghorn went on for the unfortunate Fryatt, who had been City's most dangerous attacking threat.

City ended the half the stronger and Oakley had a shot from the edge of the box hacked away and then Jack Hobbs headed a Waghorn free-kick over the bar.

Gallagher had a golden opportunity to put City in the lead three minutes after the interval when Oakley's clever pass put him clear on goal with only goalkeeper Neil Sullivan to beat, but he shot wastefully wide.

City went close again in the 58th minute when Gallagher almost made amends with an exquisite ball over the Rovers defence for N'Guessan, who had cut in off the right flank, but Sullivan stuck out his left boot to deny the Frenchman.

James Coppinger had the visitors' first meaningful shot on target in the 63rd minute but it was easily claimed by the largely-redundant Chris Weale in the City goal.

Six minutes later, Rovers again went close when Wellens gave the ball away cheaply and Coppinger released Billy Sharp and he fizzed a shot just wide.

The victory was there for the taking for whichever side could muster one effective attack but, as the second half progressed, it looked increasingly unlikely.

Time after time, City's attacks fizzled out in the final third and Fryatt's absence will not help the situation.

More quality in the final third will be the priority when Scunthorpe visit the Walkers Stadium on Saturday.