A headed goal from Dany N'Guessan on the stroke of normal time gave Leicester City an equaliser just when it looked as if they had blown it from a 2-0 interval lead.

City looked comfortable after a Matty Fryatt double had put them clear but the Hornets really swarmed out from the restart and two strikes from substitute Heidar Helguson and one from Danny Graham gave the home side the lead but City summoned up some resilience from somewhere to get something out of the game after all.

Just as the fourth official signalled five added minutes, sub Martyn Waghorn slung over a left-wing cross and N'Guessan planted a firm header wide of the keeper from eight yards.

After his shoulder injury, City defender Wayne Brown was passed fit to keep his place in the line-up to face Watford at Vicarage Road this afternoon but Nigel Pearson did make one change from the midweek draw against Peterborough, Andy King coming into the midfield for Dany N'Guessan who dropped down to the bench where Yann Kermorgant replaced Lloyd Dyer.

Neither side made a quick start and the first shot at goal came from the home side, an optimistic long-range effort from Ross Jenkins clearing the bar by some distance but eventually City emerged as the more positive side, a through ball from Paul Gallagher for Matty Fryatt being touched back to the keeper in the nick of time.

Next Gallagher, on the right this time, crossed for Steve Howard and the striker's fierce shot was blocked by Adrian Mariappa for a corner. When the kick came over, Fryatt went down in a challenge off the ball but no penalty was given.

But in the 20th minute, sure enough a spot-kick was given when, in an innocuous incident, John Eustace unaccountably handled in the area, spotted by the ref, and Fryatt sent Scott Loach the wrong way to give City the lead.

Moments later, Fryatt could have made it more when a Neilson cross found him on the far side and only a slip in the act of shooting made it easy for the keeper. The City striker came close again when, from a Gallagher cross, he saw his frst shot blocked then the follow-up find the side net.

But five minutes from the break, he got his reward when, in a brilliant sweeping move, he raced through on the left, cut back to beat his defender and slotted home a great finish.

It was no more than City deserved for their first-half display and in the closing moments of the half Steve Howard had another shot blocked.

But what a different game it was after the break and the catalyst was the introduction of striker Heidar Helguson as the home side really went for it although from an Oakley cross, Howard glanced a header just wide when that would have kileld the contest.

But the home side had the bit between their teeth and were storming forward and in the 58th minute they got their reward when Danny Graham turned in a cross from the right. Two minutes later, with City still reeling, Helguson levelled.

It was one-way towards the City goal although at the other end a Howard header was tipped over. But the home side took the lead in the 77th minute when a cross from the right found Helguson in the middle and he gleefully turned the ball home.

Many would have though that was the winner but City had other ideas and while they will be angry at letting their commanding position slip, they kept going for that equaliser to prove their character.

City: Weale; Neilson, Hobbs, Brown, Berner, Oakley, A King, Wellens, Gallagher, Fryatt, Howard. Subs: Logan, McGivern, Tunchev, Adams (54 for Wellens), N'Guessan (73 for Gallagher), Waghorn (73 for Fryatt), Kermorgant.

Booked: Berner, A King.

Watford: Loach; Mariappa, Lansbury, Cowie, Graham, Doyley, Jenkins, Cleverley, Cathcart, Eustace, Hodson. Subs: Helguson (46 for Lansbury), Harley (86 for Cleverley), Lee, Bennett, Hoskins, Ellington (82 for Helguson), Bryan.

Referee: C Pawson.

Attendance: 14,647.