Sven Goran Eriksson saluted Leicester's defending in their win at Coventry, which left Andy Thorn frustrated.
Thorn left ruing a lack of professionalism at the Ricoh Arena
Leicester boss Sven Goran Eriksson saluted his side's resolute defending in a 1-0 win over Coventry, which left Andy Thorn feeling hard done by in their season-opener.
The Foxes were made to work hard for their victory having seen Darius Vassell sent off after just 13 minutes for a studs-up challenge on Richard Keogh.
Eriksson's men stood strong for half-an-hour before their numerical disadvantage was wiped out later in the first half, as midfielder Carl Baker followed down the tunnel for another reckless challenge on Richie Wellens.
From then on Leicester never looked back, right-back Lee Peltier - Eriksson's first of 10 new additions - grabbing the vital breakthrough in the 52nd minute as he nodded home an inch-perfect cross from Wellens.
"We have spoken all pre-season about defending being an art and that we couldn't go on like last season, conceding goals easier and easier," Eriksson told Leicester's
official website.
"It became a difficult game because when we went down to 10 men I wanted us to keep the ball in their half of the pitch, which is not easy with David Nugent alone up front.
Off the hook
"The most important thing was that, as a team, we defended well. To come here for a local derby and play for a while with 10 men as we did, you have to be happy with 1-0.
"As a team we defended extremely well. First game, clean sheet, three points - I'm very happy with that."
Coventry counterpart Thorn said at the Ricoh Arena: "I thought we controlled the game for long periods of the first half and I felt we let them off the hook when they went down to 10 men.
"Even at 11 (men), I thought we controlled the game, when they went to 10 even more so.
"But that's a lesson we've got to learn, we dominated the game and through a lack of professionalism we let them back into it.
"But we've dealt with that in the dressing room and it won't happen again."
