Two of the Championship's promotion contenders, Leicester City and Middlesbrough, met at the King Power Stadium this evening.
Both sides, who were level on 47 points in the playoffs, knew that three points would take them up to second in the table.
It was Leicester who notched their fourth straight win in the league, with David Nugent tucking home the winner 20 minutes from time.
Boro should have levelled in the dying moments but Marvin Emnes saw his penalty kept out by Kasper Schmeichel.
Here, Sports Mole dissects an end-to-end clash that did plenty to warm a bitter Midlands night.
Match statistics:
Leicester:
Shots 17
On target 10
Possession 44%
Corners 11
Fouls 10
Boro:
Shots 17
On target 7
Possession 56%
Corners 8
Fouls 9
Was the result fair?
Just about. Both sides went for it and the match could have gone either way. However, Leicester will have felt aggrieved had they lost out as they struck the woodwork on three occasions before Nugent's precise finish. Not that Boro won't go home feeling hollow after that penalty miss.
Leicester's performance
The Foxes didn't start at their usual lightning pace and Boro looked the more likely to score early on. However, the hosts grew into it and will always score goals as long as there are forwards like Chris Wood and Nugent leading the line. Nigel Pearson's side still have the best defence in the league after keeping a clean sheet but the boss will be unhappy with the amount of chances they afforded tonight.
Boro's performance
Not bad at all. They may have lost, but Boro were more than a match for a hot, in-form Leicester. Some more composed finishing and a better strike of the ball from 12 yards would have seen them pick up at least a point.
Sports Mole's man of the match
David Nugent: It seems an obvious choice to go for the match winner but Nugent was a threat all night long and deserved his goal, which was taken quite superbly.
Biggest gaffe
Has to be given to Emnes for the penalty miss. It was a 'perfect height' for the correctly-guessing Schmeichel and an easy save for the Dane.
Referee performance
Roger East got the majority of decisions right, correctly awarding a last-minute penalty for the visitors when Williams was brought down in the area. The most contentious decision was perhaps Nugent's first disallowed goal, but that was given for offside and was therefore the linesman's call.
What next?
Leicester: The Foxes next go to Huddersfield a week tomorrow in the FA Cup fourth round.
Boro: Tony Mowbray's men, meanwhile, welcome League Two side Aldershot Town to the Riverside.
Pascal Lemesre
