Leicester kept the pressure on Division One leaders Portsmouth with a deserved victory at the Walkers Stadium.

Paul Dickov and Jordan Stewart scored the goals in the second half to give the Foxes their ninth home victory in 10 league matches.

Second-placed City made the livelier start, but it was the visitors who carved open the first chance of the game after 10 minutes, when Darren Garner curled a 20-yard effort over the bar.

Five minutes later Millers midfielder Nick Daws saw a right-footed shot fly over the bar as the visitors, without an away win since mid-September, grew in confidence.

Leicester were struggling to get on top of the side from south Yorkshire and went close to going a goal down when former Macclesfield striker Richie Barker flashed an effort past the right-hand post from 10 yards.

Foxes gain reward

However the home side forced their way back into the game around the half-hour mark when they forced three corners in succession in the space of two minutes, but Barker and Chris Swailes cleared the danger.

City buoyed the home fans further as midfielder Alan Rogers forced keeper Mike Pollitt into making the first save of the game with a left-foot effort.

The Millers made early inroads into the City defence at the start of the second half, with Garner shooting wide four minutes after the restart.

But Dickov, who missed Scotland's midweek international against Portugal to rest a heel injury, put City in front 60 seconds later.

Rogers took a free-kick from the left and Dickov beat Pollitt with a deft flick from near the penalty spot for his eighth goal of the season.

But the Foxes were rewarded for their domination when Stewart scored his second spectacular goal in a week.

The 20-year-old midfielder netted City's second against Millwall last weekend and his third goal of the season was just as good.

He accepted Davidson's pass from the left before ramming the ball into the top corner after 64 minutes.

However, the hosts' joy was short-lived as the Millers reduced arrears as Martin McIntosh headed home Garner's cross from the left.

Leicester: Walker, Impey, Sinclair, Taggart, Rogers, Scowcroft, Izzet, Davidson, Stewart, Dickov, Deane.
Subs: Elliott, Heath, McKinlay, Stevenson, Wright.

Rotherham: Pollitt, Scott, Swailes, Branston, McIntosh, Sedgwick, Daws, Garner, Hurst, Richard Barker, Byfield.
Subs: Gray, Robins, Bryan, Warne, Talbot.

Referee: M Jones (Leeds).