Snap-shot

Cardiff worked hard for a valued away point at Leicester City on Monday, making four points in three days to dampen the party for the new Foxes boss and the packed Walkers Stadium.

Unless you're looking for a defensive tutorial, the DVD's won't be flying off the shelves in what was largely a glamour free encounter in Leicester. Two consecutive clean-sheets for Cardiff however and an inspired performance from Kasper Schmeichel in the City goal are a welcome sight and a platform to build on after difficult times.

In fairness Leicester piled on more pressure from the likes of Fryatt and Stearman coming close, with the Cardiff keeper worked far more than his Foxes counterpart. But while the draw came as a welcomed result, it could have been a different story if substitute Whittingham's early second half shot had dipped in before hitting the woodwork.

Next up comes a trip to Hull City on Saturday with hope that further progress can be made as we aim to turn the early season frown upside down.

Team News

For Leicester there was only a single personnel change due to Collins John being injured in the Foxes win over Bristol City. That meant that Iain Hume made the move to the front line, allowing a starting place for Eddie Newton.

Leicester: Fulop, Stearman, McAuley, Kisnorbo, Mattock, Newton, Wesolowski, Clemence, Sheehan, Hume, Fryatt. Subs:N'Gotty, Hayes, Kenton, King, Chambers

No changes came for the travelling black clad Bluebirds, with Dave Jones keeping the faith with the squad that had pulled off the win over Ipswich Town.

Cardiff: Schmeichel, Gunter, Purse, Loovens, Capaldi, Parry, Rae, McPhail, Ledley, Thompson, Hasselbaink. Subs: Oakes, McNaughton, Whittingham, MacLean, Johnson

Chronological Report

The opening ten minutes were used for both teams to get a feel for each other, with Cardiff firing forward from kick-off and Joe Ledley hitting a speculative shot wide inside the opening twenty seconds. The ball was then exchanged from end to end as both looked for the opener - Fryatt the most dangerous looking Fox with his marauding runs, forcing Glenn Loovens to stay on guard in the opening exchanges.

Shots on target were found more than a little wanting, and while Cardiff were unable to bring their strike-force into any worthwhile action, Leicester on the other hand saw their closest chance come to the head of Newton, whose header was so far off target that it almost span out for a throw.

Minutes later City's best chance came via a well timed run from Capaldi, who then struck a great cross from the right. The ball found itself into the box, was flicked on by Thompson to the back-stick, but Paul Parry rushing in couldn't connect.

Leicester were starting to assert themselves more as the half progressed, and came desperately close to a scrambled opener after twenty one minutes. Stephen McPhail had given away a free-kick after fouling Hume, which Alan Sheehan sent in from the left wing. Panic ensued inside the Cardiff area, with the ball flicked on to Stearman's path by Fryatt. Stearman tried his luck, but Kasper was up to the challenge and did well to block under pressure.

Then it was Cardiff's turn to spend some time in the opposition box. First Joe Mattock was shown a yellow card for his late challenge on Paul Parry - Parry's delivery not up to much from the right. Next to try their luck from a dead-ball situation was Hasselbaink, who after winning a foul almost thirty yards out was teed in delivery by McPhail and spanked a shot towards the top right corner only to see it marginally miss the target.

The tone of the half was less of glamour football and more of a workman display from both Foxes and Bluebirds. McPhail almost found the head of Purse from a free-kick, while Clemence couldn't hit the target after aiming to head in a Sheehan's cross. Joe Mattock then chanced his arm with a thirty ninth minute mid range smash which Schmeichel watched fly over the bar without breaking a sweat.

The half closed with a scare for Cardiff as Paul Parry's leg was caught under his weight in a combination of a slip and a challenge - the winger able to take treatment back in the dressing room with the whistle blowing; Cardiff City fans having to wait to see if he would be able to resume after the interval.

HALF TIME: LEICESTER 0 - 0 CARDIFF

The break unfortunately wasn't enough for Parry, with the winger unable to resume after his fall. In his place came Peter Whittingham, while Leicester made a change with Jonathan Hayes coming on for Joe Mattock.

Whittingham almost made an instant impact with his first touch, despatching a sweet twenty five yard ball that cannoned off the cross-bar in the opening sixty seconds.

Leicester were on top in terms of territory and possession, but were unable to find a way through a solid looking Cardiff back line. Substitute Hayes looked lively for our hosts, with Holloway making another change after ten minutes, replacing Newton with youngster Ashley Chambers.

Cardiff were looking relatively comfortable at the back, but couldn't find the quality in the final third to bring Foxes 'keeper Fulop into the fray. A good move that presented Gunter the ball was ended on the right with a cynical foul by Sheehan to earn a further Leicester yellow card. The delivery from Whittingham however was poor as he failed to lift the ball into the area.

New Foxes boss Holloway was eager to keep things fresh for his first home game in charge, and made his final change of the match with sixty three minutes on the clock. James Wesolowski was replaced by Andy King.

Cardiff looked to find a way to open the game up, coming close with Whittingham clipping the wall with a free-kick, then Thompson picking up Hasselbaink's ball to run on, sending a far too comfortable ball at Fulop. Leicester then responded and were unlucky not to find the lead via Hume's low drive that rebounded off the post and off Schmeichel for a corner.

Leicester were the stronger prospect as the second half continued, camped for the main in the Cardiff half and piling pressure onto their guests. After seventy three minutes an off the line clearance was required from Chris Gunter to deny Fryatt's head down that looked certain to find the net, while Kasper Schmeichel was continually involved in the action to save with honours on more than one occasion.

Dave Jones made his second change of the match with ten minutes remaining, seeing Hasselbaink make way for the returning Stephen MacLean. The half continued and closed with Leicester more dangerous, but lacking the killer instinct. Cardiff did enough to keep the back door closed to earn a valued away point to prevent the perfect home start for Holloway.

FULL TIME: LEICESTER 0 - 0 CARDIFF