Leicester City 2 Ipswich Town 0: Leicester's fears eased as Stearman steps up from back

A pair of first-half goals from identical set-pieces yesterday gave Leicester City their first win in eight games to ease their relegation fears in the Championship.

Defender Richard Stearman bundled in Stephen Clemence's 12th-minute free-kick to give Ian Holloway's side the lead before clearing off his line to deny Ipswich Town a deserved equaliser. Patrick Kisnorbo then headed in a carbon-copy for the Foxes and despite the match being disrupted in the second half by an injury to referee Keith Hill, the home side held on.

Jim Magilton's Town who have only dropped four points at Portman Road all season but are yet to win on the road showed their fragile side by failing to defend a single set-piece convincingly.

Ipswich full-back Dan Harding was booked for a crude challenge on James Chambers and the home side took the lead from the free-kick. Clemence delivered a fine inswinging cross and Stearman diverted it in from three yards out.

Leicester's goalkeeper Martin Fulop then had to race off his line to foil Alan Lee before Stearman headed clear from his own goalline after Jon Walters' deep cross had beaten Fulop. Kisnorbo doubled the lead in the 33rd minute when he headed into the bottom right corner from another excellent Clemence free-kick.

At the start of the second half the Ipswich defender David Wright's clearance smashed into referee Hill's face. Hill required treatment and was forced to leave the field in the 57th minute with linesman Richard Smith taking over.

The match struggled to get going again and although Magilton made a triple change, Ipswich's only effort in nine minutes of injury time saw Lee shoot straight at Fulop.

Goals: Stearman (12) 1-0; Kisnorbo 33 (2-0).

Leicester City (4-4-2): Fulop; Kisnorbo, McAuley, N'Gotty, Stearman; James Chambers, Clemence, Hume, Mattock (Sheehan 89); Fryatt, John (Kenton 75). Substitutes not used: Henderson, Hayes, Ashley Chambers.

Ipswich: Alexander, Wright, Bruce (Wilnis 66), De Vos, Harding, Walters, Miller, Garvan, Williams (Clarke 66), Counago (Haynes 67), Lee. Substitutes not used: Supple, Trotter.

Referee: K Hill (Hertfordshire).

Booked: Leicester: Stearman, Clemence.

Ipswich: Harding, Williams.

Man of the match: Stearman.

Attendance: 24,049