14/08/1999  Leicester 2 Chelsea 2
 
Leicester defender Frank Sinclair scored an injury-time own 
goal for the second successive Saturday to earn Chelsea a 
dramatic share of the spoils from the Premiership clash at 
Filbert Street.

Sinclair headed past his own keeper to earn Arsenal a last 
gasp winner against Martin O'Neill's side on the opening day 
of the new Premiership season.

Again he had Lady Luck against him when, under pressure 
from Chelsea skipper Dennis Wise, he headed past Tim Flowers 
and there was barely time for the game to restart before the 
final whistle.

Leicester thought they had secured victory when former 
Chelsea midfielder Muzzy Izzet converted an 89th minute 
penalty after Emile Heskey had been fouled by Albert Ferrer 
following a cross from Andrew Impey.

But then came Sinclair's moment of despair after Gustavo 
Poyet had created the danger by heading a Bjarne Goldbaek 
cross back across goal.

Leicester had dealt a massive blow to Chelsea's title 
dreams last season when they recovered from a two goal deficit 
to draw at Stamford Bridge and they again made life difficult 
for Gianluca Vialli's side.

Izzet and Neil Lennon performed well in the centre of the 
park while Flowers showed he is in form if he gets a recall 
from Kevin Keegan next week.

And there was the tonic of Heskey ending a nine month 
sequence without a goal as he made a quickfire return to 
action after his horrifying looking neck injury at Highbury 
last weekend.

But inevitably Chelsea produced most of the flair and guile 
with their multi million pound foreign legion and in the 
second half the home side were subjected to a fierce 
onslaught.

They needed all their customary grit and determination to 
hold on for a point.

Poyet was effective in midfield for Chelsea, Goldbaek 
ventured forward to good effect as the injured Graeme Le 
Saux's replacement while Frank Leboeuf oozed class at the 
back.

They will probably view proceedings as two points lost 
rather than one gained in the final analysis despite the 
dramatic finale but it still extended their unbeaten sequence 
in the Premiership away from Stamford Bridge to seven 
months.

Leicester began confidently and Heskey gave them a dream 
start with his tenth minute strike - although there was an 
element of good fortune about the build-up to the goal.

Muzzy Izzet sent in an optimistic effort from 30 yards out 
but the ball struck Heskey and then dropped invitingly into 
his path.

Heskey needed no second invitation and his low effort from 
15 yards out flew past the despairing dive of Chelsea 'keeper 
Ed De Goey.

Heskey could have given Leicester breathing space after 
Frank Leboeuf had tackled the overlapping Frank Sinclair - but 
this time he drove his shot from 15 yards over the bar.

Leicester continued to play some neat football but Chelsea 
gradually started to turn the screw with Gustavo Poyet posing 
plenty of problems.

Flowers saved well from Tore Andre Flo and then pushed a 
deflected effort from Celestine Babayaro around the post.

But he should have been given no chance when Poyet, in 
acres of space, crashed his shot against the bar after Dan 
Petrescu's cross had picked him out.

Flowers again earned his spurs when he blocked an effort 
from Petrescu after Dennis Wise's corner had found him at the 
far post.

Chelsea were soon into their stride in the second period - 
and needed only three minutes to get back on level terms.

Gianfranco Zola found Albert Ferrer in space on the right 
flank and, despite being one of the shortest players on the 
pitch, it was Wise who was on hand to head home at the far 
post.

Goldbaek began peppering in the shots on the Leicester goal 
with Flowers parrying away on effort but powerless to stop 
another blockbuster which rattled the crossbar.

Wise could have struck again as he seized onto a cross from 
Flo but poked his close range effort straight at Flowers.

Leicester were restricted more and more to the occasional 
breakaway but Andrew Impey came close to putting his side back 
in front when his cross-shot thumped against a post.

Then De Goey earned his wages when he tipped over a header 
from Leicester substitute Ian Marshall.

He even managed to get his hand to the Izzet penalty but 
could not prevent it from entering the corner of the net 
before Sinclair unwittingly rescued a point for the 
visitors.