Leicester City moved out of the relegation places and ended a 10-game winless Championship run by beating a stuttering Bristol City side at the King Power Stadium.

Ben Nelson's early header and a volleyed finish from Abdul Fatawu put the Foxes two goals up at the break and on their way to finally securing a much-needed first win under boss Gary Rowett at the fifth attempt.

A second-half penalty save from Jakub Stolarczyk to deny Emil Riis, after the striker had picked himself up to take the spot-kick he earned when brought down by Nelson, also ensured Leicester kept their first league clean sheet for 31 games dating back to late September.

Ending a four-game losing run at home is enough to move the Foxes out of the bottom three and above West Bromwich Albion, who face play-off chasing Southampton on Wednesday.

But Leicester's battle to avoid back-to-back relegations, having dropped out of the Premier League last season, is still one that will need to be fought off the pitch as the club's legal team appeal against a six-point deduction for historical spending breaches.

Bristol City's predicament in the middle of the table has become much more clear, with their hopes of challenging for a spot in the play-offs taking a major hit at Leicester. This was their third straight league defeat and leaves them five places and seven points adrift of Wrexham in sixth place.

The high-stakes meeting got off to a frantic start, with goalkeepers Stolarczyk and Radek Vitek both making fine saves inside the first five minutes.

Stolarczyk was tested twice in the space of 60 seconds, pushing a deflected Sam Morsy effort over the bar before tipping a curled shot from Scott Twine past the post, while Vitek did well to deny Stephy Mavididi at the other end.

Vitek, however, was left stranded as Nelson broke the deadlock with a rare goal after nodding home from a Jordan James free-kick.

It was the defender's first goal of the season and first since scoring during a loan spell at Oxford under now Foxes boss Rowett last term.

Mavididi bent a low shot on to the post for Leicester before going on to fortuitously help create the hosts' second.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid's acrobatic attempt to meet a Mavididi cross was scuffed high into the air and into the path of Fatawu, whose thumped first-time finish beat Vitek despite the keeper getting a hand to the ball.

The Robins' best chance to pull a goal back came from the penalty spot after the break, but Stolarczyk picked the direction of Riis's attempt and dived to his left to comfortably make the save.

Leicester City manager Gary Rowett told BBC Radio Leicester:

"It's nice to feel the stadium buzzing and I'm pleased with the players' performance. I could feel the players' energy coming back into the dressing room afterwards.

"They worked incredibly hard and I think we've been unfortunate not to have had the first win yet.

"We got the set-piece for the first goal, with Ben [Nelson] getting on the end it. And he did that for me last year in a crucial game towards the end of the season [at Oxford]. I think he should do that more.

"The second goal comes from 18 passes and we move the ball well, are nice and composed and we get a nice cross. You do wonder with his wrong foot if he [Fatawu] will get the power and accuracy, but he does exactly that. He is a magical player and he showed that tonight with that finish.

"To go 2-0 up put us in a nice comfortable position and I was keen to see how we would handle that.

"To get the clean sheet is really nice. That gives us confidence and I can't actually believe it's been that long since we had one. We have to value clean sheets and have to value the defensive discipline. And we have done in the games since we came in."

Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber told BBC Radio Bristol:

"Frustration is the right word. I'm really angry about how we did in the first half, how cheap we had goals against us.

"How we defended the free-kick was so cheap and absolutely not the standard from a Championship team that wants more.

"In the second half we missed the big moment, the big chance to get back into the game and this was really disappointing and it makes me really angry today.

"It's going to drive me crazy; we've had no penalties all season then we have a penalty and in this moment we could change the [atmosphere in] the ground and in this big moment I feel really disappointed.

"Soft is the best description of us at the moment, we are not direct enough, we are not aggressive enough we are not hungry enough to bounce back with real hard duels and aggression. I can only describe us as nice guys on the field with no last punch."