Fleetwood Town’s Carabao Cup journey ended at Premier League Leicester City on Tuesday night, with the Foxes running out 4-0 winners.
First half goals from Christian Fuchs and Vicente Iborra, as well as second period strikes from Kelechi Iheanacho and Rachid Ghezzal sealed a deserved home victory.
Town made 11 changes to the side that drew at Charlton on Saturday. Goalkeeper Paul Jones making his debut in goal, with Bobby Grant captaining the side in the absence of the rested Craig Morgan.
Leicester’s side contained five Premier League winners; Jonny Evans, Marc Albrighton, Shinji Okazaki, Wes Morgan and left-back Fuchs.
Joey Barton’s side started off the brightest in the game and had the first chance at goal. Striker Chris Long managed to wriggle away from Leicester’s captain Morgan, with his shot deflecting right in the path of on running Harrison Biggins, whose effort at goal was well saved by Danny Ward.
The home side reacted from Biggins’ shot at goal and looked threatening down the left wing with Albrighton. He worked the Town defenders and whipped in two very teasing crosses, with Tommy Spurr and Cian Bolger dealing well with the danger.
Fuchs opened the scoring with a thunderbolt from 25-yards out. The left-back lurked on the edge of the box from a corner, and when the ball came to him, there was only one thought in his mind. Fuchs struck it first time to open the scoring – a real touch of Premier League class.
The match evened out as the first-half went on with both teams enjoying long spells of possession.
The Foxes doubled their lead seven minutes before half-time. After a well worked move down the left – where the home team predominately attacked Town, Fuchs chipped in a ball to the far post for Iborra to head home from close range.
Iheanacho nearly made it three for the team in blue after Albrighton delivered a low driven cross into the box. The former Manchester City man was inches away from making a connection inside the box. Let off for Fleetwood just before the break.
The second half began and within 60 seconds, Leicester made it 3-0 thanks to a goal from Iheanacho. The Nigerian striker broke the offside trap and managed to slot the ball between Paul Jones’ legs and into the back of the net.
Next came a proud moment for academy player and Under 18s captain James Hill. The 16-year-old replaced Joe Maguire in the back line with Spurr moving to left back, and Hill being positioned at centre back with Bolger. Hill – who has only been a scholar since June – impressed in testing conditions at the King Power.
Claude Puel’s men enjoyed a lot of possession in the latter stages of the match and made that count when summer signing, Rachid Ghezzal curled one top corner from 20 yards. Another unstoppable shot from Leicester.
So Town’s Carabao Cup run ends, but history was made just getting to the second round. Next up, it’s Bradford City at Highbury in the league.
Leicester XI: Ward (GK), Morgan © (Benkovic 60’), Evans, Iheanacho (Gray 50’), Albrighton, Amartey, Okazaki, Iborra, Silva, Fuchs, Ghezzal (Diabate 75’).
Subs not used: Maddison, Jakupovic, Mendy, Knight.
Town XI: P. Jones (GK), Spurr, Dempsey, McAleny, Grant © (Wallace 65’), Bolger, Maguire (Hill 61’), Long (Madden 61’), G. Jones, Biggins, Sheron.
Subs not used: Cairns (GK), Holt, Eastham, Burns