And worse still, Charlie Adam was booked deep into stoppage time and will now miss the next two games – Sheffield Wednesday and next Saturday's Deepdale derby at Preston.

Dany N'Guessan put the Foxes in front on 15 minutes, though Pool will be far from happy with their defending.

The back four were caught flat-footed by Martyn Waghorn's diagonal pass and N'Guessan calmly slid the ball past Matt Gilks and in off the post.

But Pool had their chances to get back into it. Before the visitor's scored, Stephen Dobbie – looking lively on his first full start – unleashed a thumping drive which Chris Weale did well to tip against the upright.

Dobbie also tested Weale with another drive while only a timely Wayne Brown interception prevented Dobbie from turning home Barry Bannan's low left wing cross.

But Leicester spurned a marvelous chance to increase their lead on 35 minutes when Stephen Crainey and Alex Baptiste somehow managed to clear Michael Morrison's close range effort off the line, following a corner headed back into the six yard box.

Ben Burgess replaced Barry Bannan moments before the break, the left winger forced off with a groin injury – a pity as he'd been playing well. Ben Burgess came on, with Gary Taylor-Fletcher moving to the left.

Burgess almost got on the end of Dobbie's clever chip seconds before the ref blew for the interval. 1-0 to Leicester.

Pool had a let off at the start of the second half as N'Guessan crossed and Waghorn shot from six yards but Gilks made a brilliant reaction stop.

Attacking the North Stand and backed by some terrific support, the Seasiders went on the front foot.

But it seemed that every single attack was denied by Weale, who was having a great day between the posts for the visitors.

He pushed Dobbie's volley around the post, made a good block from the same player and then dived full stretch again to stop Southern's header sneaking in.



Holloway went for broke, replacing Ian Evatt with Ishmel Demontagnac and moving Charlie Adam into the centre of defence.

But it was Leicester who took advantage on 78 minutes, catching Pool with a classic counter attack. Fryatt dashed down the right and pulled the ball back for substitute Lloyd Dyer, who converted from six yards.

Dyer almost scored again moments later, but his header from N'Guessen's cross was well saved by Gilks.

Then, on 88 minutes, Pool at last grabbed the goal they had been striving for. It was a belter too. Dobbie produced a backheel, then nutmegged Andy King on the edge of the area before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner, at least beating Weale.

Demontagnac had a chance to level in stoppage time when he latched onto Southern's headed knockdown but he fired his shot over.

Adam charged into the area at the death and tumbled under a challenge. No penalty and worse still a 10th yellow card of the season, ruling him out of the next two games – including PNE, where his goal last season gave the Seasiders victory.

Credit to the Seasiders for pressing until the end on an attempt to get back into it but in the end it wasn't enough.

Earlier Holloway sprang a surprise with his team selection, making five changes which included replacing Paul Rachubka with Gilks.

It was the Pool keeper's first appearance since the league clash at Ipswich in December.

Also in were Neal Eardley (back from a hamstring injury), Taylor-Fletcher, Alex Baptiste and - as expected after his fine debut goal against West Brom - Dobbie.

POOL: Gilks, Eardley, Evatt, Baptiste, Crainey, Vaughan, Southern, Adam, Taylor-Fletcher, Dobbie, Bannan. SUBS: Rachubka, Butler, Edwards, Euell, Burgess, Demontagnac, Husband

LEICESTER: Weale, Morrison, Brown, Oakley, King, Fryatt, Berner, N'Guessan, Waghorn, Gallagher, Hobbs. Subs: Neilson, McGivern, Howard, Dyer, Logan, Verma, Bruce

REF: Andy Haines (Tyne & Wear)