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Marshall strikes, Collymore struggles

STAN Collymore's Premiership debut turned into a damp squib as Leicester took the honours in the Midlands derby.

Villa manager Brian Little splashed out £7 million on the former Anfield striker in an attempt to kick-start a title challenge, but Leicester skipper Steve Walsh shackled the summer's joint most expensive buy.

And with Dwight Yorke and Savo Milosevic also failing to sparkle in the oppressive heat, lan Marshall's first half strike was enough for the Coca-Cola Cup winners to take all three points.

Collymore's every move was jeered by the home crowd as he struggled to find his touch. He was proving most dangerous when he drifted wide and his crosses set up two of Villa's best chances of the first half.

His teasing left-wing cross evaded the entire Leicester defence but Milosevic was too late arriving at the far post.

And then, just before the half-hour, Collymore's centre found its way to Mark Draper on the edge of the area.

The midfielder struck the right foot volley perfectly and was very unlucky to see it rebound to safety from the angle of post and bar with Keller nowhere.

The deadlock was finally broken eight minutes before the break when City finally took advantage of their best spell of pressure in the half.

City forced three corners in quick succession but each time the opportunity was wasted when Steve Guppy failed to deliver a decent cross.

But just when it appeared that Villa would weather the storm until the break, Guppy produced exactly what he was bought for from Port Vale.

His cross was perfectly angled to the far post and Marshall climbed superbly to power a header stranded Oakes.

Matt Elliott flashed a volley just over the bar for Leicester before the break and after the restart things got little better for a side that looked a shadow of the team that finished fifth last season.

Leicester in fact could have put the game beyond the visitors' reach within the first six minutes of the second half but they spurned two glorious chances.

Heskey was sent clear down the right flank by Marshall but his low cross was pulled behind an advancing Marshall and appeared to present no real danger.

Mysteriously they Villa defence somehow managed to let the ball through to Marshall and were lucky to escape when his shot was blocked by Southgate and Guppy blasted the rebound well wide.

Marshall then had am even better chance to double his tally when, with Villa looking for offside, he was left alone on the edge of the area only to lift his left foot volley clean over the bar.