Jermaine Beckford scored twice as Leicester came from behind to beat Birmingham City and prevent them moving back into Championship play-off spots.

A penalty from Wade Elliott had given the visitors a first-half lead.

Beckford equalised before the break and Jeffrey Schlupp gave the Foxes the lead with 10 minutes left.

Beckford then made sure of the points with his 11th goal of the season with the last kick of the match to move Leicester six points off the top six.

The visitors, now without a league win in four games, had sniffed a change of fortune when they were awarded a spot-kick after Tom Kennedy and Sol Bamba were penalised for pushing Blues striker Nikola Zigic in the area.

Elliott, who had already gone close to opening the scoring, beat Kasper Schmeichel from the spot.

Zigic might have doubled Birmingham's lead - hitting the woodwork - before Beckford brought the scores level with his first of the night, tapping home a Kennedy cross from close range.

Elliott and Chris Burke also had chances for the visitors while Beckford struck the post for the Foxes.

Schlupp gave the home side the lead with 10 minutes remaining when he raced onto a through-ball from Kennedy.

Beckford completed the scoring, haring clear of Pablo Ibanez and calmly beating Boaz Myhill.

Leicester boss Nigel Pearson: "The plot thickens as, again, there'll be some strange results in weeks to come so although we've had some frustrating times along the length and breadth of the country, I'm sure there will be sets of players, managers and fans feeling very similar.

"We've got to concentrate on ourselves and certainly if our performance levels are in keeping with tonight and our ability to deal with disappointment like we had to tonight then we've still got a real fighting chance, that's the most important thing."

Birmingham manager Chris Hughton: "We've got a group of players who for such a big part of the season have been so good.

"We're going through a difficult period at the moment, which every team will do at some stage in the season."

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (5)

Leicester City

  • 01 Schmeichel
  • 06 Bamba
  • 12 St Ledger Booked
  • 26 Morgan
  • 30 Kennedy Booked
  • 11 Dyer
  • 19 Wellens
  • 23 Danns
  • 07 Gallagher (Marshall - 61' )
  • 20 Beckford
  • 35 Nugent (Schlupp - 70' )

Substitutes

  • 05 Mills
  • 16 Drinkwater
  • 27 Schlupp
  • 09 Howard
  • 22 Marshall

Birmingham City

  • 01 Myhill
  • 04 Caldwell Booked
  • 06 Ramage (Huseklepp - 81' )
  • 23 Spector (Pablo - 10' )
  • 24 Davies Booked
  • 07 Burke
  • 08 N'daw
  • 11 Townsend
  • 15 Elliott
  • 18 Fahey
  • 19 Zigic (King - 65' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Doyle
  • 05 Pablo
  • 10 Huseklepp
  • 14 Gomis
  • 09 King
Ref: Russell
Att: 21,092

Match Stats

Shots

10 5

On target

5 4

Corners

5 3

Fouls

8 13

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:26 Full time

Full Time The final whistle goes and the game is over.

90:00 +4:20

Assist by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester) from right channel.

90:00 +4:20 Goal scored

Goal - Jermaine Beckford - Leicester 3 - 1 Birmingham Goal by Jermaine Beckford (Leicester) left-footed (bottom-left of goal) from centre of penalty area (12 yards).Leicester 3-1 Birmingham.

90:00 +3:46

Neil Danns (Leicester) caught offside. Free kick taken right-footed by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham) from own half, resulting in open play.

90:00 +3:23

Attacking throw-in by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester).

90:00 +2:53

Defending throw-in by Curtis Davies (Birmingham).

88:16

Attacking throw-in by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester).

87:51

Defending throw-in by Curtis Davies (Birmingham).

86:30

Defending throw-in by Tom Kennedy (Leicester).

85:41

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

85:16

Foul by Steven Caldwell (Birmingham) on Jermaine Beckford (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Richie Wellens (Leicester) from right channel, resulting in open play.

84:59

Goal kick taken long by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester).

84:46

Shot by Wade Elliott (Birmingham) right-footed from right channel (25 yards), missed right.

84:18

Defending throw-in by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester).

83:12

Attacking throw-in by Lloyd Dyer (Leicester).

82:16

Foul by Guirane N'Daw (Birmingham) on Jeffery Schlupp (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Richie Wellens (Leicester) from right channel, resulting in open play.

81:40

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

81:00 Substitution

Substitution Birmingham substitution: Peter Ramage replaced by Erik Huseklepp (tactical).

80:53

Attacking throw-in by Curtis Davies (Birmingham).

79:17

Assist by Tom Kennedy (Leicester) from own half.

79:17 Goal scored

Goal - Jeffery Schlupp - Leicester 2 - 1 Birmingham Goal by Jeffery Schlupp (Leicester) left-footed (low centre of goal) from centre of penalty area (12 yards).Leicester 2-1 Birmingham.

78:34

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

77:44

Defending throw-in by Peter Ramage (Birmingham).

77:33

Attacking throw-in by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester).

76:39

Shot by Jeffery Schlupp (Leicester) left-footed from left channel (12 yards), save (punched) by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham). Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Ben Marshall (Leicester) to centre, clearance by Chris Burke (Birmingham).

76:17

Shot by Chris Burke (Birmingham) right-footed from right channel (12 yards), save (punched) by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester).

75:22

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

75:14

Shot by Neil Danns (Leicester) left-footed from right channel (25 yards), over the bar.

74:35

Outswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by Ben Marshall (Leicester) to out of play, resulting in ball out of play.

74:21

Attacking throw-in by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester).

73:39

Foul by Marlon King (Birmingham) on Tom Kennedy (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Souleymane Bamba (Leicester) from own half, passed.

72:14

Defending throw-in by Tom Kennedy (Leicester).

70:59

Foul by Steven Caldwell (Birmingham) on Richie Wellens (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Souleymane Bamba (Leicester) from own half, resulting in open play.

70:42 Booking

Booking Steven Caldwell (Birmingham) booked for unsporting behaviour.

69:57 Substitution

Substitution Leicester substitution: David Nugent replaced by Jeffery Schlupp (tactical).

69:42 Booking

Booking Tom Kennedy (Leicester) booked for unsporting behaviour.

69:30

Handball by Tom Kennedy (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Wade Elliott (Birmingham) from own half, resulting in open play.

68:47

Inswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by Ben Marshall (Leicester) to centre, save (parried) by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

68:18

Marlon King (Birmingham) caught offside. Free kick taken right-footed by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester) from own half, resulting in open play.

67:04

Outswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by Ben Marshall (Leicester) to centre, foul by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester) on Steven Caldwell (Birmingham). Free kick taken right-footed by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham) from own half, resulting in open play.

66:03

Foul by Souleymane Bamba (Leicester) on Marlon King (Birmingham). Free kick taken left-footed by Andros Townsend (Birmingham) from left channel, resulting in open play.

64:20 Substitution

Substitution Birmingham substitution: Nikola Zigic replaced by Marlon King (tactical).

63:47

Shot by Richie Wellens (Leicester) right-footed from right channel (30 yards), save (parried) by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham). Shot by Jermaine Beckford (Leicester) right-footed from left side of penalty area (12 yards), over the bar.

62:06

Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Andros Townsend (Birmingham) to short, resulting in open play. Shot by Wade Elliott (Birmingham) left-footed from right channel (12 yards), save (punched) by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester).

61:49

Attacking throw-in by Curtis Davies (Birmingham).

60:37 Substitution

Substitution Leicester substitution: Paul Gallagher replaced by Ben Marshall (tactical).

59:28

Attacking throw-in by Curtis Davies (Birmingham).

58:39

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

55:53

Wade Elliott (Birmingham) caught offside. Free kick taken right-footed by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester) from own half, resulting in open play.

54:11 Booking

Booking Curtis Davies receives a caution.

54:03

Foul by Curtis Davies (Birmingham) on Sean St. Ledger (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Paul Gallagher (Leicester) from left channel, resulting in open play.

52:15

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

50:39

Foul by Steven Caldwell (Birmingham) on David Nugent (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Paul Gallagher (Leicester) from left channel, resulting in open play.

49:10

Foul by Neil Danns (Leicester) on Wade Elliott (Birmingham). Free kick taken left-footed by Steven Caldwell (Birmingham) from own half, resulting in open play.

48:38

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

48:07

Foul by Keith Fahey (Birmingham) on Lloyd Dyer (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Richie Wellens (Leicester) from own half, passed.

47:35

Defending throw-in by Peter Ramage (Birmingham).

47:11

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

45:01

The second half kicks off.

45:00 +2:14 Half time

Half Time The half-time whistle blows.

44:36

Defending throw-in by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester).

44:08

Attacking throw-in by Lloyd Dyer (Leicester).

43:32

Foul by Nikola Zigic (Birmingham) on Tom Kennedy (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Souleymane Bamba (Leicester) from own half, resulting in open play.

42:25

Foul by Andros Townsend (Birmingham) on Richie Wellens (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester) from own half, resulting in open play.

41:38

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

41:29

Shot by David Nugent (Leicester) right-footed from right channel (25 yards), missed left.

40:40

Foul by Andros Townsend (Birmingham) on Jermaine Beckford (Leicester). Free kick taken left-footed by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester) from right channel, resulting in open play.

39:56

Defending throw-in by Tom Kennedy (Leicester).

39:00 Booking

Booking Sean St. Ledger (Leicester) booked for unsporting behaviour.

38:28

Foul by Nikola Zigic (Birmingham) on Wes Morgan (Leicester). Free kick taken left-footed by Wes Morgan (Leicester) from own half, passed.

36:38

Foul by Sean St. Ledger (Leicester) on Keith Fahey (Birmingham). Free kick taken right-footed by Steven Caldwell (Birmingham) from own half, resulting in open play.

35:47

Attacking throw-in by Lloyd Dyer (Leicester).

35:02

Foul by Keith Fahey (Birmingham) on Richie Wellens (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Richie Wellens (Leicester) from left channel, resulting in open play.

33:54 Goal scored

Goal - Jermaine Beckford - Leicester 1 - 1 Birmingham Goal by Jermaine Beckford (Leicester) left-footed (bottom-left of goal) from left side of six-yard box (6 yards).Leicester 1-1 Birmingham.

32:15

Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Wade Elliott (Birmingham) to centre, save (punched) by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester).

31:24

Foul by Wes Morgan (Leicester) on Andros Townsend (Birmingham). Free kick taken right-footed by Wade Elliott (Birmingham) from left channel, resulting in open play.

29:28

Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Wade Elliott (Birmingham) to centre, header by Chris Burke (Birmingham) from centre of penalty area (12 yards), clearance by Richie Wellens (Leicester).

29:18

Attacking throw-in by Andros Townsend (Birmingham).

26:17

Defending throw-in by Curtis Davies (Birmingham).

24:34

Defending throw-in by Tom Kennedy (Leicester).

23:21

Attacking throw-in by Tom Kennedy (Leicester).

21:30

Goal kick taken long by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester).

20:46

Foul by Neil Danns (Leicester) on Curtis Davies (Birmingham). Free kick taken right-footed by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham) from own half, resulting in open play.

20:41

Defending throw-in by Curtis Davies (Birmingham).

19:45 Goal scored

Goal - Wade Elliott - Leicester 0 - 1 Birmingham Placed penalty taken right-footed by Wade Elliott (Birmingham) (bottom-right of goal), scored.Leicester 0-1 Birmingham.

18:13

Foul by Souleymane Bamba (Leicester) on Nikola Zigic (Birmingham).

17:40

Shot by Wade Elliott (Birmingham) right-footed from right channel (18 yards), save (caught) by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester).

17:21

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

16:49

Goal kick taken long by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester).

15:06

David Nugent (Leicester) caught offside. Free kick taken right-footed by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham) from own half, resulting in open play.

14:25

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

13:20

Foul by Steven Caldwell (Birmingham) on Jermaine Beckford (Leicester). Free kick taken right-footed by Richie Wellens (Leicester) from left channel, passed. Shot by Neil Danns (Leicester) right-footed from right channel (25 yards), missed left.

12:38

Goal kick taken long by Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester).

11:16

Attacking throw-in by Paul Gallagher (Leicester).

10:47

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

10:30

Shot by Neil Danns (Leicester) left-footed from left channel (25 yards), over the bar.

9:23 Substitution

Substitution Birmingham substitution: Jonathan Spector replaced by Pablo Ibanez (injury).

8:32

Goal kick taken long by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham).

5:45

David Nugent (Leicester) caught offside. Free kick taken right-footed by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham) from own half, resulting in open play.

4:48

Foul by Neil Danns (Leicester) on Wade Elliott (Birmingham). Free kick taken right-footed by Boaz Myhill (Birmingham) from own half, resulting in open play.

3:28

Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Paul Gallagher (Leicester) to centre, resulting in open play.

0:15

Defending throw-in by Tom Kennedy (Leicester).

0:00

The referee gets the game started.

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