Darren Kenton's first goal for the Foxes and Elvis Hammond's sixth of the season were not enough to prevent their side from slipping to a 4-2 defeat against Stoke at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

In an evenly-matched contest, chances were created at either end but substitute Mamady Sidibe's goal 10 minutes from time and Liam Lawrence's stoppage time effort swung the game in the hosts' favour.

Goals from Jon Parkin and Ricardo Fuller - a debatable penalty - cancelled out Kenton's early opener before Hammond's first time finish looked to have earned his side a share of the spoils.

But Sidibe and Lawrence had other ideas and condemned Rob Kelly's men to a second straight defeat.

The hosts made the early running with Ricardo Fuller making a nuisance of himself down the right flank but the Foxes were eventually able to clear the danger.

However, the first real of the chance of the game fell to the visitors on four minutes.

Danny Tiatto's corner was met by the head of Darren Kenton but his effort flashed just wide from four yards.

Steve Simonsen did well to hang on to Jason Jarrett's teasing cross in the ninth minute before Paul Henderson saved comfortably from John Eustace moments later.

Captain Danny Higginbotham headed narrowly wide from Lawrence's corner on 14 minutes but it was Leicester who took the lead a minute later.

From Danny Tiatto's free-kick, Patrick Kisnorbo challenged Simonsen with the ball spilling out to an unmarked Kenton, who had the simple task of slotting the ball home into an unguarded net for the opener.

However, their lead last only three minutes as Jon Parkin levelled from close range.

Fuller capitalised on a defensive slip before feeding Lawrence who in turn played in the striker, who sent his low shot past Henderson for the equaliser. 

Shaun Newton was booked in the 21st minute before Iain Hume followed suit a minute later.

Simonsen saved from Newton on 24 minutes after the winger had played a neat one-two with the returning Elvis Hammond then goalscorer Kenton entered the referee's notebook for a late challenge.

And after some incessant Stoke pressure they went ahead from the penalty spot on 29 minutes.

Kenton was adjudged to have brought down Fuller inside the area and referee Eddie Ilderton had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

The burly striker dusted himself down before taking the penalty himself and he made no mistake, sending Henderson the wrong way for his side's second of the afternoon.

Hammond's neat swivel and turn tested Simonsen in the 33rd minute but the keeper was equal to the task and saved at his near post.

The Foxes came close to equalising four minutes later when Newton did brilliantly down the right before sending the ball to the back post.

The arriving Danny Tiatto met the ball on the half volley but his goal bound effort from only yards out was parried by Simonsen and he managed to collect the ball at the second attempt.

After more good work by Newton, Jarrett's drive flew agonisingly wide of the right-hand upright in the 40th minute.

On the stroke of half-time Jarrett was only denied by a brilliant finger-tip save from Simonsen, with the ball going out for a corner.

Tiatto became the fourth Foxes player to be cautioned in first-half stoppage time after a foul on Eustace but despite a late spell of Stoke pressure, the game remained 2-1 at the interval.

Carl Dickinson replaced Darel Russell for the start of the second half and after a lull in play, Simonsen had to race off his line to collect Richard Stearman's through ball with Hume and Hammond lurking.

However, their endeavour paid dividends when the visitors duly equalised in the 58th minute thanks to Hammond's first goal since December 16 versus Barnsley.

After a fine surging run forward Jarrett found Newton before the on-loan winger picked out the nippy striker with a first time ball and he did the rest, wrong-footing Simonsen to draw his side level.

Mamady Sidibe replaced Parkin on 63 minutes before Kenton cleared the danger after Fuller had rounded Henderson.

Tiatto fired wide from the edge of the area after Hume's cross had been headed clear by Jonathan Fortune.

City made their first change in the 69th minute with Stephen Hughes coming on for Andy Johnson before Lee Hendrie replaced Lee Martin four minutes later.

A last ditch block from Kisnorbo denied Fuller on 75 minutes then Levi Porter came on for Tiatto a minute later.

But the hosts restored their one goal advantage in the 80th minute through substitute Sidibe after he coolly placed the ball past a helpless Henderson after latching on to an inch-perfect pass from strike partner Fuller.

Alan Maybury made way for Matty Fryatt on 83 minutes as the visitors looked for a way back into the game.

Hughes tried his luck from distance but his effort went wide of the target before Fuller was cautioned four minutes from time.

Lawrence rubbed salt into the visitors already open wounds in injury time when he fired home from close range to seal the points.

City: Henderson, Stearman, Kisnorbo (c), Kenton, Maybury (Fryatt 83), Newton, Jarrett, Johnson (Hughes 69), Tiatto (Porter 76), Hammond, Hume. Subs not used: Logan, Johansson.

Stoke: Simonsen, Hoefkins, Fortune, Zakuani, Higginbotham (c), Lawrence, Russell (Dickinson 45), Eustace, Martin (Hendrie 73), Parkin (Sidibe 63), Fuller. Subs not used: Vass, Hoult.

Yellow Cards

City: Newton (21), Hume (22), Kenton (26), Tiatto (45)

Stoke: Fuller (86)

Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear)

Attendance: 13,303