VARDY DOUBLE ENSURES THE FOXES BAG THE LATE SPOILS

Prolific super-sub stings the Hornets

- Graham Hill

LEICESTER City manager Enzo Maresca praised Jamie Vardy’s character after the former England striker missed an open goal before scoring twice to earn the leaders a win over Watford.

Vardy came off the substitutes’ bench to try and lift a Leicester side that had been struggling to break down Watford, who had been heading for a point after a stubborn display.

But it did not look like being Vardy’s day as he sent one opportunity over the bar, before repeating the process from four yards out.

Vardy refused to let the misses get to him though, and he opened the scoring just two minutes later after Watford goalkeeper, and captain, Daniel Bachmann had parried Jannick Vestergaard’s header. It was a goal that came after 76 minutes eased the tension at the King Power Stadium with Leicester heading for a third successive game without a goal.

In the third minute of stoppage time, Vardy sealed the points when he was brought down in the penalty area by Bachmann who was shown a second yellow card by referee Sam Allison.