Wood stars in Foxes win
Chris Wood fired in a first-half hat-trick as Leicester secured an easy 4-0 win at Ashton Gate to send Bristol City to the foot of the npower Championship.
The former Robins loanee made it nine from his last five games and six in three since joining the Foxes from West Brom.
Most of the damage was done before the break, inflicted by a combination of Ben Marshall, home goalkeeper Dean Gerken and the unstoppable Wood.
Marshall provided the ammunition for the first two goals, though Gerken will have to shoulder the blame for the second as he flapped at an 18th-minute corner.
And Gerken looked culpable again when Wood's long-range shot crept under his body four minutes before the interval, taking the striker's tally for the season to 17.
Matty James added the fourth to compound the woes of Derek McInnes, whose side now prop up the pile following Barnsley's victory over Leeds.
Nigel Pearson's charges, however, move up to third and boast a goal difference of plus 25.
It took just 11 minutes for the visitors to get off the mark. Marshall played a precise pass down the left flank, Wood controlled, cut inside and drove home.
The visitors forced a corner seven minutes later and capitalised on some poor goalkeeping from Gerken, who tried to punch it clear but failed to make sufficient contact, and Wood tapped in the loose ball.
McInnes' shellshocked side struggled to muster any meaningful response as Pearson's men continued to control proceedings.
And they were rewarded with a third goal just before half-time. Wood unleashed a shot from 20 yards and though Gerken got across his goal to cover it, the ball squirmed under his body.
Things got even worse for the hosts early in the second half. They sloppily conceded possession inside their own half, James took full advantage, advancing to within striking distance to pick out the bottom-right corner for his first goal since August.
Greg Cunningham shot just wide from distance in a rare Robins attack but the home crowd's warmest applause met the substitution of Wood minutes later, an acknowledgement of his superb display and also their relief at the fact he would not be able to add to his tally.
The hosts slowly stirred into life in the final 20 minutes, aided in no small part by Leicester's decision to sit on their four-goal advantage, eager to secure an 11th clean sheet of the Championship campaign.
Paul Anderson's powerful shot forced a good save from Kasper Schmeichel, who then showed a safe pair of hands to keep out debutant Liam Kelly's effort.
But that was as close as they came to grabbing a consolation as Leicester made it three wins on the bounce.
Source: PA
Source: PA