Darren Bent scored at both ends and Craig Bryson looked to have sent Rams through before skipper's late header
CLAUDIO RANIERI’S Leicester finally proved their ‘Fearless’ tag of last season was more than a mere marketing slogan.
Captain Wes Morgan led them back from the brink of an embarrassing FA Cup exit, just when all seemed lost.
The big defender powered home Demarai Gray’s corner three minutes from the end of a pulsating East Midlands derby to buy under-pressure boss Claudio Ranieri a welcome reprieve.
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Until then it looked as if ex-England goalie Scott Carson would be the hero as he defied Shinji Okazaki twice, and rode his luck when Gray beat him only for his shot to smack off the post.
Claudio Ranieri vowed to go back to the basics, claiming he baffled his players with science in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at Southampton.
Apparently last year’s title winners couldn’t fathom out their midfield diamond. It was all bunkum of course. Not only did every player know his job – nine of them had performed the roles before.
The Italian was simply shielding his players after successive 3-0 defeats.
The fact they allowed their 65-year-old boss to take shoulder responsibility reflected poorly on players who, 265 days earlier had been showering Ranieri with praise and confetti as they lifted the Premier League trophy aloft with him.
This was their time to stand up and be counted with the nation tuning in to judge for themselves exactly what was wrong with Leicester – and just how far they could fall from grace.
And Derby fans left convinced they could pass their neighbours on the way UP to the Premier League this summer!
“Champ-ions and you’re going down,” they sang. Yet it was Ranieri’s men who got off to a flier, taking the lead after nine minutes – from the unlikeliest of sources.
Darren Bent had scored in nine of his last 10 FA Cup ties – four of them for Derby. The last thing the veteran striker anticipated was the strike which clocked up the perfect 10 would be a howler of an own goal for Leicester!
Mark Albrighton’s corner was met by Huth whose header crashed off Chris Baird’s thigh and headed towards goal.
Bent was perfectly positioned at the near post but produced the a horrendous slice with his left foot to slash the ball into his own net.
It was hard to tell who was more embarrassed – Leicester’s players for the cheap goal they had just pocketed – or Bent himself.
“How shit must you be, we’re winning away,” chanted Foxes fans. Yet the words had barely left their mouths when the culprit made up for his crime.
Tom Ince’s cormer was punched out by Schmeichel but Will Hughes pounced and lofted the ball straight back into the mixer where Bent beat Chilwell and Morgan to glance his header into the far corner.
Leicester were on the ropes but rallied and it took a stunning save from Carson to deny Okazaki, whose shot was heading for the top corner until the former England man touched it over
It was to prove a pivotal moment in the tie because five minutes before half-time McClaren’s Derby hit the front as Craig Bryson broke his duck for the season.
An untidy spot of head tennis ended with the Scot picking up Danny Simpson’s header then bursting into the gaping hole between Simpson and Wes Morgan.
Suddenly Bryson was inside the box and and arrowed a left-footer into the far corner, with the help of a deflection from Huth’s big toe.
When Leicester returned for the second half Ranieri had replaced Fuchs with Demarai Gray and he later sent on Riyad Mahrez and Ahmed Musa as he went for broke.
But the Foxes simply couldn’t find a way past Carson.
Leicester: (4-4-2) Schmeichel 6; Simpson 6, Morgan 6, Huth 6, Fuchs 6; Albrighton 6, Drinkwater 6, King 6, Chilwell 6; Okazaki 6, Vardy 6.
Subs: Gray 7, Musa 6, Mahrez 6.
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