COLCHESTER United were outplayed by new table-toppers Leicester City last night, but they still came within an inch of snatching a draw.

Carl Marston

Colchester United 0 Leicester City 1

COLCHESTER United were outplayed by new table-toppers Leicester City last night, but they still came within an inch of snatching a draw.

Lloyd Dyer's firecracker, early in the second half, proved to be the difference between the two sides as the Foxes leapfrogged Oldham Athletic to move top of League One.

But they were thanking their lucky stars on 81 minutes, after Mark Yeates' sublime free-kick from 30 yards out struck the inside of a post and dropped to safety.

It was the third time this season that the unfortunate Yeates had struck the woodwork. A goal then would have handed caretaker manager Kit Symons a precious point, and another big boost for his chances of landing the job full-time, following the previous Friday night's 4-3 win at Tranmere.

But in truth, the U's didn't really deserve a point against well-organised Leicester, because although they battled gamely, they were second best for all but the closing minutes of the game.

Dyer's decisive strike arrived in the 49th minute. The ex-MK Dons front-runner burst clear down the left wing, exploiting acres of space before unleashing an angled shot from 20 yards out that fizzed past Dean Gerken and into the far corner of the net.

It was Dyer's fourth goal of the campaign, and it was sufficient to inflict a second successive home defeat on the U's.

Gerken kept his side in the match with a string of top-class saves, and his performance nearly sneaked a point for the U's. But the luck of the Irish was just not shining on Dubliner Yeates!