City opened the scoring in the second half as the Frenchman fed a neat pass to Jermaine Beckford who slotted home past the home sides's keeper. It was Knockaert who created the Foxes' second, too, his neat work on the wing leading to a pinpoint cross that found Marko Futacs. The big man's bumbled shot fell to Beckford who, stepping over the ball, cheekily back-heeled to double City's lead.
Boro snatched a goal back within ninety seconds of conceding after the defensive frailties of City's growing back four of Alie Sesay, Cian Bolger, Tom Parkes and Tom Kennedy were exposed by Tom James who fired the ball beyond Conrad Logan in the Leicester net. Indeed, Boro could have drawn level but for hitting the post, whilst a fine double save from Logan denied the home side seconds later. The Foxes secured victory in fading light with ten minutes left, however, when Futacs stole the ball off the foot of Danny Drinkwater to slot home.
The game could have panned-out very differently after an uninspiring first half performance from a mixed-up City XI, Nuneaton able to press against that young Foxes' defence and apply pressure on Logan, who saved three times in the first forty-five to keep the home side's attacks at bay. Not that City were impotent up front - Beckford's pace, coupled with the presence of Futacs, caused problems for the Conference Premier side's defence and the combination of Knockaert, Drinkwater and Neil Danns in midfield steadied the ship.
Despite Beckford's two goals, it was Knockaert who stole the show, offering finesse to an otherwise workmanlike display and presenting a headache to Nigel Pearson, as he looks to assemble his first XI ahead of the start of the competitive season against Torquay United in the League Cup next week.
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