Leicester City's Jack Hobbs says Blackpool's penalty claim was a tight call

Leicester City defender Jack Hobbs said that referee Andy Haines's turning-down Blackpool's penalty claim during stoppage-time in Saturday's 2-1 Championship win was a "tight call."

The home side were furious with the official for rejecting their stoppage-time spot-kick appeals after City's Dany N'Guessan tussled with Blackpool's Charlie Adam in the penalty area.

Instead, Adam was booked and is now suspended for the next two matches after amassing 10 penalty points.

Hobbs said: "Dany was tracking back and there seemed to be a little bit of contact but how much I'm not sure.

"Their player has gone over and then handled it and, when they do that, they usually make up the referee's mind, but he stayed strong and stuck with his decision.

"It was a tight call and some go for you and some don't but we are due that one and I'll take it as it has helped us get the win," added Hobbs, whose side were denied penalty claims for handball in their previous goalless encounter with Newcastle.

Despite the controversy, the 21-year-old central defender believes City deserved the win at Bloomfield Road which took them back into the Championship play-off places.

The recalled N'Guessan put City ahead after 15 minutes before substitute Lloyd Dyer broke away to add a second with Blackpool's late response prompted by Stephen Dobbie's 88th-minute goal

Hobbs said: "We didn't play very well at 2-1 but there are a lot of positives to take out of the game.

"We created a lot of chances and looked good on the counter-attack.

"We could have wrapped up the points a bit earlier.

"There wasn't much football played because it was not the best of pitches – it was even cutting up in the warm-up – but I think we coped well with the conditions."

Hobbs also went agonisingly close to scoring his first goal of the season after just failing to make contact with a first-half cross.

"My head was about an inch from it," he said.

"The ball flicked off a defender and just a little too far away from me. I could have done with a goal."

City are back in action against Doncaster tomorrow night at the Walkers Stadium (7.45pm).

Hobbs said: "The draw against Newcastle gave us momentum and confidence to take into the Blackpool game. We won it and now we want to continue on a good run in February."