Leicester missed the chance to close the gap on Division One leaders Portsmouth to two points as they lost 3-2 to Gillingham in a see-saw match at Priestfield this evening. Micky Adams' men fell 2-0 behind as Paul Shaw drilled in a 20-yard shot in the 32nd minute and Mamady Sidibe added a second on the stroke of half-time despite the best efforts of Matt Elliott to clear off the goal-line.
Frank Sinclair pulled one back five minutes into the second-half and youngster Tommy Wright's first senior goal (61) looked to have salvaged a point, but Sidibe popped up again to grab the winner with four minutes to go.
Portsmouth slipped up at rock-bottom Brighton, taking just a point against the Seagulls in a noon kick-off at the Withdean Stadium. Pompey have now won just one of their last nine games and fell behind to a goal by Brighton's star striker Bobby Zamora in the 54th minute as the England Under-21 international fired in low from Paul Brooker's pass. Top scorer Svetoslav Todorov equalised for Portsmouth 10 minutes later but Harry Redknapp's men could not find a winner.
Fifth-placed Nottingham Forest and sixth-placed Coventry shared a point at the City Ground. Scottish youngster Gareth Williams scored his first senior goal for Forest in the 33rd minute after Sky Blues goalkeeper Morten Hyldgaard had parried his first attempt. But Coventry levelled with three minutes to go through Argentinian substitute Juan Sara, on loan from Dundee.
Seventh-placed Reading failed to take advantage of that result as they were held goalless at home by Walsall, who beat the Royals in a penalty shoot-out in an FA Cup third-round replay at the Madejski Stadium in midweek. Elsewhere, Wolves and Crystal Palace remain eighth and ninth respectively after both drew 1-1 at home.
Kenny Miller scored with two minutes to go to half-time for Wolves against Wimbledon but Damien Francis equalised for the Dons in the first minute of the second-half. Palace fell behind to a goal from Burnley striker Gareth Taylor (44) but hit back when Dele Adebola was fouled in the box by Clarets goalkeeper Marlon Beresford and Australian Tony Popovic tucked in the penalty (64).
At the bottom, Stoke missed the chance to put daylight between themselves and Sheffield Wednesday, who lost 3-1 in the Steel City derby last night, by losing 3-1 at home to Derby. Middlesbrough target Malcolm Christie put the Rams ahead (50) but former Mansfield striker Chris Greenacre equalised with his fifth goal of the season 13 minutes later. Argentinian defender Luciano Zavagno restored Derby's lead with 16 minutes to go and Lee Morris made sure in the final seconds.
The Potters would have climbed out of the relegation zone into 21st if they had won because Grimsby slipped to a 2-0 home defeat to Millwall as veteran striker Steve Claridge bagged a brace. Ipswich climbed two places to 10th with a comfortable 3-0 win over faltering Preston at Portman Road. Marcus Bent headed in a 30th-minute opener from a Jim Magilton set-piece, Darren Bent added a second (74) when he nodded in from a corner following a Hermann Hreidarsson flick-on and netted the Tractor Boys' third from the edge of the box following a pass by Darren Ambrose.
Rotherham stayed 11th despite a 3-2 home win over Bradford. Claus Jorgensen put the Bantams ahead in the second minute but Martin McIntosh equalised after 20 minutes with a glancing header. The Millers' second arrived five minutes into the second half when a long throw fell to Darren Garner, whose deflected shot spun past Aidan Davison and into the net. They established a two-goal cushion when Darren Byfield converted a penalty on the hour before Andy Gray's quickfire response - also from the spot - made it a nervous finish for Ronnie Moore's men.
Watford can climb back above Ipswich and Rotherham if they beat Norwich at Vicarage Road tomorrow.
Filed by Shane Murray
