SUBSTITUTE Martyn Woolford fired home a dramatic late equaliser with the last kick of the game, to prevent City from opening a four-point gap over fourth placed local rivals Nottingham Forest.
On-loan Sunderland striker Martyn Waghorn had given the Foxes a third minute lead, which they held right until the end before Woolford`s deflected drive snatched an unlikely point for the hosts.
Nigel Pearson named an unchanged side from the one that beat struggling Plymouth Argyle last week and the visitors quickly made their intentions clear as Paul Gallagher and Waghorn combined to set up Andy King, but he could only drill wide.
City were in front just moments later, however, when Jack Hobbs` headed clearance enabled Waghorn to outpace David Mirfin and then dispatch past the advancing Joe Murphy to give City the lead.
The visitors could have doubled their advantage soon after when a superb move involving the lively Waghorn, set up the onrushing Robbie Nielson to cross for Yann Kermorgant, but the tall Frenchman was denied by Murphy.
But the Iron were not to be caught cold and responded through danger man Gary Hooper, but he was superbly denied by Hobbs` last-ditch tackle before captain Cliff Byrne headed over Josh Wright`s corner.
City`s momentum was then restored through Gallagher, who saw his vicious cross well held by Murphy after a foul on Matty Fryatt before the Irish keeper somehow clawed away Fryatt`s deflected attempt at full stretch after sublime skill from Richie Wellens.
Hobbs headed over from the resulting corner, ahead of Kermorgant meeting Bruno Berner`s sumptuous cross at the back post with a bullet header, which was spectacularly turned over the crossbar by Murphy.
Normal service was resumed after the restart as Wellens released Fryatt down the left, but his attempts to cut back onto his favoured right foot were thwarted and Waghorn couldn`t squeeze the ball past Mirfin, with Wayne Brown heading over from the ensuing corner.
Neilson and Mirfin were then involved in a skirmish after Kermorgant appeared to have been kicked whilst he was on the floor and the Iron were extremely fortunate not to have been reduced to 10-men after Mirfin`s wild lunge on Fryatt.
Waghorn then sent his drive the wrong side of the post as the visitors searched in vain for the elusive second goal, but they would pay the ultimate price for not putting the game to bed when Woolford pounced at the death to break City hearts and steal an improbable point for the struggling Iron.
Writer: JBFox
Date: Saturday November 28 2009
Time: 5:36PM
Match ratings defined: 1) Totally awful, had a mare, should be taken out and shot, 2) Dire, but not usual standard, 3) Very poor. 4) Poor, below the standard expected, 5) Average, the least expected, 6) Better than average, but in patches only, 7) Good, generally decent performance, 8) Very good, above the standard, standing out at times, 9) Excellent, stood out all match, 10) Outstanding truly commanded the match.
