Pearson sent off for referee row

Jermaine Beckford's late equaliser earned Leicester City a 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough at the King Power Stadium last night.

Nigel Pearson, the Leicester manager, was bizarrely sent off at half time after an exchange of words with referee Gavin Ward in the home dressing room. "I don't know what really happened," Pearson said. "I was talking to my players and giving them instructions for the second half when I was rudely interrupted. I didn't see who it was that barged into my dressing room but I told them to get out."

Beckford pounced on a poor clearance by Boro goalkeeper Jason Steele with four minutes remaining. Scott McDonald had earlier cancelled out David Nugent's opener for Leicester before Tony McMahon's free-kick put Boro ahead with 11 minutes left.