Leicester City overcame a potential banana skin to progress into the second round of the Carling Cup at the expense of League Two outfit Accrington Stanley on Tuesday evening.
At a rain-soaked Fraser Eagle Stadium, James Wesolowski's early strike handed Martin Allen's men the initiative before Gareth McAuley, Bruno N'Gotty and Matty Fryatt came close.
However, the visitors did not have matters all their own way especially in the second half with Peter Cavanagh hitting the post twice, Andrew Procter seeing his effort cleared off the line while Paul Henderson produced fine saves to thwart Romauld Boco and then John Miles.
But the Foxes stood firm to book their place in the next phase of the competition.
The returning Fryatt had a shot blocked by Cavanagh inside two minutes.
But the Foxes did take the lead as early as the fourth minute through Wesolowski.
After N'Gotty's cross-cum-shot had hit the angle of post and bar, Iain Hume headed the ball back to the edge of the area for the Australian, who found the back of the net through a crowd of players for the opener.
Gareth McAuley headed just wide from a Stephen Clemence corner on seven minutes while at the other end Paul Henderson got down well to deny Lee McEvilly a minute later.
The visitors were handed a huge let-off in the 12th minute when Henderson's attempted clearance was charged down by McEvilly.
But the striker's follow-up effort was blocked by the legs of a fortunate Henderson and the danger was cleared.
A last-ditch tackle from Robert Williams thwarted DJ Campbell on 16 minutes then Fryatt shot wide after cutting inside from the left.
Hume tried his luck from 25-yards, forcing Kenny Arthur to scurry across his line.
Arthur saved at his near post from goalscorer Wesolowski in the 29th minute while at the other end, N'Gotty was forced to head behind Cavanagh's dangerous cross five minutes later.
Arthur gathered comfortably from Wesolowski's back-header on 36 minutes but could not hold on to Alan Sheehan's hanging cross from the left moments later.
However, the corner came to nothing with N'Gotty heading harmlessly over the bar.
McEvilly was booked for a late lunge on Sheehan in the 40th minute.
City almost doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time but after good work by Wesolowski and Hume, Fryatt saw his left-footed effort deflect behind off Cavanagh for a corner.
The hosts nearly equalised on 47 minutes when Cavanagh's shot beat Henderson but ricocheted back off the post, only for Andrew Procter's follow-up effort to be cleared off the line by Darren Kenton.
At the other end, Fryatt saw his shot go over the bar in the 51st minute as did Campbell two minutes later.
Henderson kept his side in front four minutes later when he brilliantly tipped Boco's dipping effort over the bar for a corner.
From the resulting flag-kick, McEvilly headed wide unchallenged much to the home supporters' anguish.
Radostin Kishishev was cautioned on 61 minutes before Henderson again saved well from Miles soon after.
Kenton left the field on a stretcher in the 65th minute after a nasty collision involving McEvilly and Henderson.
Hume shot wide on 70 minutes before McEvilly made way for Shaun Whalley two minutes later.
Mark de Vries replaced Hume 12 minutes from time as the visitors looked for that all-important second goal.
Cavanagh again hit the post from a free-kick on 81 minutes before Boco tried his luck from distance moments later.
Henderson got down well to gather Miles' low drive in the 85th minute.
Eric Odhiambo came on for Campbell a minute from time and despite Stanley pushing everyone forward in stoppage time, the visitors remained composed to secure the win.
City: Henderson, N'Gotty, Kenton (Stearman 65), McAuley, Sheehan, Wesolowski, Clemence (c), Kishishev, Hume (De Vries 78), Fryatt, Campbell (Odhiambo 89). Subs not used: Nielsen, Porter.
Stanley: Arthur, Cavanagh (c), Richardson, Williams, Roberts, Proctor, Harris, Boco, McEvilly (Whalley 72), Mullin, Miles. Subs not used: Dunbavin, Edwards, Brown, McGivern.
Yellow Cards
City: Kishishev (61)
Stanley: McEvilly (40)
Referee: Colin Webster
Attendance: 2,029
