Leicester City Held to Draw in Russell Martin's First Game

Russell Martin admitted Leicester City have “loads of learning to do” after his new side were pegged back late on in a 1-1 draw at Notts County.

The visitors looked set to mark Martin’s first league game in charge with a hard-earned win when Jayden Joseph smashed them ahead on 62 minutes, only for Conor Grant to level nine minutes from time.

County start fast, Leicester hit the bar

Notts County, buoyed by promotion under Martin Paterson, came flying out of the blocks. They pressed high, hunted in packs and had Leicester wobbling early.

Their best early opening came when Ollie Cooper punished a poor clearance from Alex McCarthy. Cooper seized on the loose ball and, with McCarthy stranded, crashed his effort against the crossbar. It was a warning for Leicester and a reminder of how unforgiving this level can be.

County’s intensity rattled the visitors, who struggled at times to play through a fierce man-to-man press. Martin later pointed out it was one of the first times his side had faced that kind of approach, outside of a pre-season test against Malaga.

Yet Leicester gradually grew into the game. With several players making their first competitive starts for the club, including academy graduates, they began to find some rhythm. Martin said he “really enjoyed the first half”, praising the control his side eventually established and the patience they showed to open up gaps.

Joseph’s rocket, then a shift in mood

After the break, Leicester had to dig in again. County came hard, and Martin admitted his side “had to weather the storm a bit”. Once they did, the away side started to impose themselves.

The breakthrough, when it came, was spectacular. On 62 minutes, Joseph picked up possession and unleashed a fierce right-footed drive from distance. The ball flew beyond James Belshaw, a thunderous strike that silenced the home crowd and seemed to tilt the contest Leicester’s way.

Martin called it “an amazing goal to score”. It should have been the platform for a composed finish. Instead, the mood changed.

With the visitors in front, anxiety crept in. Passes became looser, decisions more rushed. Martin felt the entire atmosphere inside the stadium shifted, and his players did not manage it well enough.

“If we don’t look after each other with the ball, like we didn’t towards the end, then it doesn’t suit us,” he said, clearly frustrated by the way control slipped away in the closing stages.

Grant strikes as County refuse to fold

County sensed Leicester’s nerves and pushed again. The pressure finally told on 81 minutes.

Substitute Emile Acquah rose to meet a cross and his header crashed against the post. The ball dropped invitingly and fellow replacement Grant reacted first, turning it home from close range to give County the equaliser their performance merited.

Paterson’s side smelled more than just a point. They continued to press, convinced there was a winner in the game, and left the pitch feeling they had missed a chance.

“I’m disappointed because we were at home, but I don’t want that word ‘disappointment’ to be the takeaway from this,” Paterson said. He revealed the dressing room was “a little bit quiet” afterwards, his players believing they had enough chances to win. He agreed.

“They, Leicester, are a good team and they found some moments. But I thought we found as many moments as them. We created opportunities and we just didn’t take them today.”

For Paterson, that is where the frustration lies, but also the challenge.

“That’s why we have a training field,” he added, insisting the environment will reward those who want to improve. He described it as “a really competitive performance against a really good team” and made it clear County will hold themselves to high standards across the season.

Martin’s new era begins with edge and lessons

For Martin, appointed after Leicester’s relegation from the Championship, this was a first real look at his project under pressure. He stressed there was “so much to work on and much to like as well”, picking out the energy, aggression and ball recoveries as key positives.

“We regained the ball so many times and I love the fight that shows and the togetherness too,” he said. “In the first half, I loved the amount of control we had and we were patient… this was always going to be a difficult game and a difficult place to come.”

Yet the late wobble, and the way the team responded to the shift in atmosphere, will stay with him. He was clear: Leicester “will be better for that, much better in fact”.

The new era has started with a reminder that talent and control are not enough on their own. Leicester have a point, a highlight-reel goal and a long list of lessons. How quickly they absorb them will shape what this season becomes.