ACCRINGTON Stanley have received some criticism from a few opposition managers after their trips to the Fraser Eagle Stadium.
But Leicester boss Martin Allen could not give the League Two side enough praise after admitting his Championship side were lucky to be in the Carling Cup second round draw.
Allen is used to trips to Accrington, having made them with Barnet and MK Dons, and he will have told his million pound players what to expect from their journey to East Lancashire.
The large contingent of Foxes fans though might have been a bit surprised by their surroundings but they took being out in the rain in good spirit - whirling their shirts around their head as they packed the Coppice End.
But their spirits could have been severely dampened if the woodwork and keeper Paul Henderson hadn't kept out the impressive Reds.
And Allen was first to admit his side were fortunate.
"It was always going to be a difficult game," said the under-fire Leicester boss, whose side were still reeling from an opening day loss to Blackpool.
"You have to come down here on a Tuesday night, against a well organised team with a good manager and good players and it is a hard place to come.
"In the first half, we matched them all over the pitch and showed good quality and possession and created good opportunites. We just needed more quality in the final third.
"In the second half, we never get going like I wanted us to but we showed a great attitude and stuck together. There was no individual performances but it was a committed performance, we worked hard together and the goalkeeper made some great saves.
"We rode our luck slightly and it went in our favour, that is what happens in football."
Rode their luck was an understatement in the second half as the Reds took the game to the million pound footballers and were desperately unlucky not to claim another scalp after seeing off Nottingham Forest last season.
"I think one of their players cost more in a week than all our team cost but that shouldn't come into it - it is 11 against 11 and I think we competed well," said Stanley boss John Coleman.
"Anyone watching that will know the best team lost and I can't be disappointed with the performance. It was one-way traffic in the second half but we started slowly and that is what cost us. But we have got to take heart from that performance and be bouyed by it."
Coleman was forced into a change from their opening day 1-0 win over Wycombe with Leam Richardson coming in at left back for the injured Graham Branch.
Allen, meanwhile, started with three up front with £1.6m DJ Campbell getting his first start for the Foxes.
And they pressed from the offand caught out Stanley in the fourth minute. A Bruno N'Gotty shot fooled Kenny Arthur and hit the crossbar bouncing down to teenager James Wesolowski who hit the ball through a sea of bodies to creep into the net and open the scoring.
City were passing the ball around well but there is a new found reslience about the Reds and there weren't prepared to go down without a fight.
And the underdogs could have been on level terms when Jay Harris seized on a midfield mistake and sent unmarked Lee McEvilly through on 10 minutes but he took a touch too much and Henderson stifled the shot.
And the bustling striker then made a chance of his own after racing down Henderson's kick but McEvilly's shot - fortunately for the red-faced keeper - hit the goalie's legs as he raced back and made its way to safety.
It became near monsoon conditions as the rain pounded down and it became tricky for both sides.
And the Reds did have to defend well with Mark Roberts again outstanding as Wesolowski had another chance, the powerful N'Gotty headed over and the lively Matt Fryatt saw his shot bounce off Peter Cavanagh.
Coleman mentioned his half-time team talk on Saturday which turned his team around.
This must have been similar as, although they had kept tabs on their opponents in the first half, they stepped up a gear after the break.
Three minutes after the restart, a neatly worked Cavanagh corner found the inrushing Harris on the edge of the area but his fierce shot struck the upright.
The ball rebounded out to Andy Procter but, with the keeper stranded, Darren Kenton managed to hook the ball clear.
Ten minutes later and Benin international Rommy Boco almost scored the goal of the season.
He ran forward, took the ball over the defender's head and volleyed it goalwards. It was heading for the top corner of the net and how Henderson kept it out he only knows.
"He couldn't have hit it any better and I cannot believe the keeper has managed to keep it out, it is a magnificent save," said Coleman.
"I will get one tomorrow," tipped Boco as he deserves a goal for two strong performances so far.
It was winger John Miles's turn then to almost set the Fraser Eagle alight as he made a mazy run from inside his own half, beating three players and racing to the edge of the area but, after Mullin set up Boco, the Frenchman's shot was blocked.
While Stanley were attack-minded there were still openings at the other end but Roberts, Richardson, Cavanagh and Robbie Williams thwarted the three-pronged strike force and limited their efforts to half chances.
In midfield, Andy Procter was battling for every ball and even throwing in a few tricks as he thrust Stanley forward at every opportunity.
Henderson kept out a Miles low shot on the hour but it looked like the home side might force the game into extra-time they at least deserved when sub Shaun Whalley won a free kick 10 minutes from time on the edge of the area.
Cavanagh lined up to take it and superbly curled it around the wall only for Henderson to stick out his hand and push the strike onto the upright.
"You tend to know, when you hit the post twice, that it isn't going to be your day," admitted a dejected Coleman.
