West Brom 1-2 Leicester: Harry Winks grabs a 94th-minute winner for the Foxes to extend their lead at the top of the Championship

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For 71 minutes this cat and mouse clash between the Championship’s early pace setter and its form side looked as though it would fail to live up to its star billing.

But leaders Leicester proved to be the cat that got the cream as Harry Winks snatched a late winner at the end of a tumultuous finale at the Hawthorns.

Goals are something of a collector’s item for Winks but you sense this winner will end up being one of his most important in a Leicester shirt.

‘I don’t normally score but to win it like that in front of the fans in such a tough game was such an amazing feeling. I can see why strikers get a buzz off it,’ said Winks, who helped his side to only a second win in five games.

Defeat did little to improve the mood of West Brom boss Carlos Corberan, who has been laid low with a virus this week.

Harry Winks grabbed a last minute winner for Leicester to extend their lead at the top of the Championship

The away side capitalised on West Brom's attempts to grab a late winner themselves and bounced on the counter attack

Josh Maja thought he had at least earned the Baggies a point after coming on as a substitute

His side had started brightly and Cedric Kipre was unfortunate to see his left-footed effort strike the foot of the post from a corner.

Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen’s wayward distribution did little to help turn the tide of the game in his team’s favour. He was forced into a smart stop to deny the bright Brandon Thomas-Asante after his sloppy pass gave away possession.

There were warning signs from the visitors, though, and Kelechi Iheanacho should have put them ahead with the clearest chance of the half but the Nigerian dragged his shot horribly wide.

The introduction of Leicester winger Abdul Fatawu helped to open up a cagey second half and it was Fatawu who combined with Wilfred Ndidi to finally end the stalemate with 72 minutes gone.

Ndidi’s chipped cross found Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who timed his run from midfield to perfection to head home from inside the box.

Foxes boss Enzo Maresca's dream return to the club he first cut his teeth with as a player in England looked to have been ruined with almost the last kick of normal time.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall opened the scoring with a fine header in the 72nd minute of the tie

Wilfred Ndidi walked away with the Player of the Match award after a fine display which included the assist for Dewsbury-Hall's opener

His side failed to clear their lines from a long throw on five occasions, allowing Josh Maja to pounce and turn the ball home from close range in the 89th minute.

Corberan's side courageously pushed on for a winner but were ultimately punished for their sense of adventure.

Iheanacho led a lightning counterattack in the dying embers of the game and played in Dewsbury-Hall.

Rather than go for his second of the game, the midfielder squared the ball to Winks who applied the simplest of finishes.