Preston North End were defeated on their final home game of the campaign as Play-Off bound Leicester City claimed a slender 1-0 victory thanks to midfielder Andy King.
King capitalised on a stray pass in the 63rd minute of the game to slot the ball beyond substitute keeper Wayne Henderson. It was a disappointing end to the home campaign for the Lilywhites but manager Darren Ferguson will now have one eye to the summer months and looking forward to getting his first full campaign underway as North End boss.
Ferguson made just two changes from the team which had been unfortunate to come away with only a point from the Ricoh Arena. Elliott Ward returned to replace the injured Liam Chilvers whilst Callum Davidson was promoted to a midfielder role to cover for Paul Coutts who had undergone surgery earlier in the week, Tom Williams coming in at left-back.
There was positive news on the bench for Preston with Youl Mawene back in the fold and the inclusion of youngsters Neil Dougan and George Miller.
The first chance came in the 14th minute of the match and came via the boot of Ross Wallace as he hit a 30-yard free-kick straight at goal. The free-kick was awarded after Keith Treacy was nudged off the ball as he went up for a header.
The Lilywhites created a half chance in the 23rd minute when Matty James went on a surging run down the right channel, he drew the Leicester defenders towards him before playing the ball out to Billy Jones who was in plenty of space on the right flank. Jones' cross was towards Parkin but the big man could not get enough on the ball to divert it towards goal.
Preston were denied a stonewall penalty in the 25th minute. Danny Mayor twisting and turning on the right flank before driving a cross towards goal. The ball clearly hit Bruno Berner's hand as it went towards the near post and into the safe and legal arms of Foxes keeper Chris Weale, referee Mr Hegley's version of events, if he saw it, must have been 'ball to hand'.
Andy Lonergan was called into action in the 29th minute of the match. The keeper did well to repel a trio of quick-fire Leicester chances as they tried to turn the ball home in a goal-mouth scramble. The best chance came when Michael Morrison shanked a shot across goal, Lonergan parried it out and James Vaughan failed to tap the ball home from close range.
There was a moment of real controversy in the 34th minute of the match. With Ross Wallace injured a lengthy break ensued and the referee saw a drop-ball as the only fair way to restart the game, it was left to Paul Gallagher to play the ball back to Preston. Rather than giving a harmless pass back into Preston territory, Gallagher opted to boot the ball towards Andy Lonergan in the nets and it took the keeper completely unawares, the ball sailing over his head and into the net. It could have been embarrassing for all concerned but the referee saw common sense and forced Gallagher to restart the game again, Gallagher's second attempt bounced in front of the Preston keeper and still came off the crossbar before Lonergan gathered comfortably.
There was a notable change at the break for the Lilywhites, goalkeeper Andy Lonergan was replaced by Wayne Henderson, the substitute keeper getting his first action for the Club since August 2007.
Leicester City missed an absolute sitter as the second half got underway. Dyer got to the byline on the left flank and he crossed it deep, beyond the back post where Paul Gallagher squared the ball into the path of the unmarked Martyn Waghorn, Waghorn had the entire goal to aim at but he somehow sidefooted the ball over the bar.
The Foxes had the ball in the back of the net once again in the 54th minute and again it was ruled out in rather controversial circumstances. A long ball over the top of the defence forced Wayne Henderson to venture out of his area, he controlled the ball but then Elliott Ward collided with the stopper under the close attentions of James Vaughan. Vaughan went on to slot the ball home into the empty net but the referee had already blown his whistle signalling that Vaughan had pushed Elliott into Henderson.
Andy King was the next Leicester player to have a strike at goal. The Foxes midfielder's opportunity came after St. Ledger sliced a clearance straight to King on the edge of the box, fortunately for PNE King's effort was wayward.
The first goal of the afternoon went the way of the visitors. A wayward pass from St. Ledger was picked up by King in the centre-circle and the midfielder drove at goal, Elliott Ward blocked the run on the edge of the box but King picked himself up to slot the ball beyond a helpless Henderson.
North End made a double substitution on 66 minutes. Parkin and Treacy departed and in their place was the strike-partnership of Mellor and Parkin. PNE switching to a 4-4-2 formation.
The Foxes could have gone 2-0 up in the 70th minute. Wayne Brown hit a ball over the top of the Preston defence and Martyn Waghorn had the legs on St. Ledger, Waghorn controlled the ball in the box before lobbing it over Henderson, thankfully the ball landed on top, rather than in, the net.
A fine save from Wayne Henderson on 75 minutes. Vaughan had run on to a knockdown from Waghorn and the Everton man was clean through, Vaughan tried to dink the ball over the keeper as he rushed out but Henderson's body blocked the effort well.
North End substitute Neil Mellor came close to breaking the deadlock for the Lilywhites with 11 minutes left on the clock. Brown knocked the ball down and Mellor took one look up from the edge of the box before volleying an effort which beat Weale but also just cleared the crossbar.
Mellor's chance was the last clear opportunity of the game and as the game neared it's end Leicester's defensive duties became all the more important in the knowledge that the three points would secure their place in the top six.
Scenes of celebration at the end from a Leicester point of view but one of disappointment from the home support as North End ended their home campaign on a flat note.
