Leicester 2 Barnsley 2: Tykes ‘getting on greens well enough but missing our putts’

“It was very disappointing to concede the late equaliser but at the same time there was a sense of pride that we had taken a point against one of the best sides in the league,” said Flitcroft.

“Leicester are a team I think can win the Championship, so it is a real positive to have earned something against them.

“We came here with a game plan to press them and be in their face. We knew we had to match them, and I thought we did.

“Our goalkeeper Luke Steele was incredible early on, and then we scored the two goals that I felt were deserved.

“I think that, as a group, we are coming together but, at the moment, we are just missing that last little bit. In golfing terms, we are getting on the green well enough but missing our putts. The aim at the start of the season was to stay in this division – and it still is.”

Leicester chief Nigel Pearson was a relieved man after seeing his promotion-chasing side grab a late equaliser at the King Power Stadium.

Substitute Jamie Vardy struck home from close range after good work from David Nugent in the 90th minute to seal a draw after the Tykes had led 2-1 at the interval.

The Foxes, who had scored 10 goals in the previous two home games, took the lead in the eighth minute through Anthony Knockaert but then gifted Barnsley two goals with poor defending.

Stephen Dawson scored in the 26th minute and Reuben Noble-Lazarus fired the Reds in front 12 minutes later. A shock result looked on the cards until Vardy’s late strike and while Pearson was glad to finish the game with a share of the spoils he was frustrated Leicester could not claim all three points.

“I didn’t think Barnsley were ever in the game, but we gifted them two goals and then had to fight very hard to get something out of it,” he claimed.

“We could have had a penalty at the end for handball, but I don’t blame the officials for us not getting three points.We’ve not been ruthless enough really.

“We got something out of the game and that has got to be a positive. But we’ve got to win those sort of games.

“Right through the second half they were never a threat, and we were probably as dominant as you can be without winning the game.”

Leicester City: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Whitbread, Konchesky, Knockaert (Marshall 60), King, Drinkwater, Dyer (Futacs 76), Nugent, Waghorn (Vardy 68). Unused substitutes: Logan, James, Moore, Lingard.

Barnsley: Steele, Stones (Perkins 80), Cranie, Wiseman, Golbourne, Dawson, Buzsaky (Tudgay 68), Greening, O’Brien, Noble-Lazarus (Etuhu 80), Davies. Unused substitutes: Alnwick, Hassell, Foster, Sinclair.

Referee: J Adcock (Nottinghamshire).

Man of the match: Luke Steele.