LEICESTER POWERED TO the top of the Championship as Jamie Vardy scored after 21 seconds to inspire a 4-1 rout of promotion rivals Southampton on Friday.

Vardy stunned Southampton as he opened the scoring at St Mary’s with his first league goal this season inside the first minute.

In a battle of two teams expected to slug it out for a quick return to the Premier League after both were relegated last term, Kasey McAteer doubled Leicester’s lead before Sam Edozie got one back for Southampton.

Wilfred Ndidi restored Leicester’s two-goal advantage in first-half stoppage-time and Stephy Mavididi completed the demolition after the interval.

Ireland internationals Gavin Bazunu, Ryan Manning and Will Smallbone all started for Southampton, playing the full game.

With five wins from six league games, Leicester sit two points clear of second-placed Preston, who can reclaim top spot with a win against Plymouth on Saturday.

It was another bitter blow for seventh-placed Southampton, who were beaten for a second successive game after their 5-0 thrashing at Sunderland.

Kamaldeen Sulemana capped a wretched evening for Southampton when the winger was shown a straight red card for jumping in on James Justin deep into added time.

Elsewhere in the English second tier on Friday, Aaron Connolly’s late header rescued Hull in their 1-1 draw against Coventry.

With Hull short of ideas, Joel Latibeaudiere’s first-half headed goal looked set to be the winner at the MKM Stadium.

The Jamaica international put the gloss on a fine individual performance after 27 minutes to claim his first goal since joining last year’s play-off finalists in the close-season.

But Hull’s late burst of pressure garnered a well-worked equaliser after 87 minutes.

Tyler Morton lofted a cross into the penalty area and Republic of Ireland forward Connolly deftly guided the ball into the bottom corner with the back of his head.

– © AFP 2023