Leicester City's hopes of catching league leaders Portsmouth suffered a blow as they were held to a goalless draw by Stoke at the Walkers Stadium.

Both sides finished with 10 men after Stoke's Peter Handyside and Foxes' Gerry Taggart were sent off for two bookings in the second half.

Stoke settled first and were unlucky not to have a half-time lead after enjoying the better of a scrappy opening.

Potters midfielder James O'Connor had the game's first chance, but his 30-yard strike went over the bar.

Nicky Summerbee responded for the home side, and Stoke had to be sharp to clear his succession of testing crosses.

On the half-hour mark the visitors had a great chance to open the scoring, but Gunnarsson fired straight at Ian Walker.

The former England stopper had to be on form five minutes later to tip over a powerful 30-yard shot from Frazer Richardson.

Stoke continued to press, and Walker made his third good save when he held another Gunnarsson shot from just outside the box.

Second bookings

Leicester immediately went close after the restart when Brian Deane headed over from a Summerbee corner.

Taggart then did the same from an Alan Rogers corner, before Paul Dickov fired wide from just inside the box.

The lively Summerbee then saw his right-foot volley go just over the bar as Leicester lifted the tempo. Their bid was helped two minutes later when Stoke were reduced to 10 men.

Handyside saw red after his foul on Dickov earned him a second booking.

But their advantage lasted less than two minutes as Taggart picked up his second yellow, leaving both sides with 10 men.

Leicester continued to press, and Matthew Jones should have done better when he drilled past the post with 10 minutes remaining.

Marc Goodfellow almost stole the points for Stoke, but he twice fired wide from inside the penalty area with Walker beaten.

Leicester: Walker, Impey, Elliott, Sinclair, Rogers, Summerbee, McKinlay, Jones, Stewart, Dickov, Deane. Subs: Benjamin, Stevenson, Heath, Taggart, Flowers.

Stoke: Banks, Thomas, Handyside, Shtanuk, Richardson, Gunnarsson, O'Connor, Hoekstra, Marcus Hall, Iwelumo, Greenacre. Subs: Cutler, Goodfellow, Marteinsson, Gudjonsson, Henry.

Referee: J P Robinson (E Yorkshire).