Manager Nigel Pearson hailed young guns Andy King and Carl Pentney for their key roles in keeping Leicester City's promotion drive on track.

Substitute goalkeeper Pentney, in his first senior action, made several fine saves in the 1-1 draw against Swindon on Saturday before King grabbed a late equaliser.

Pearson will have no qualms about putting 19-year-old Pentney in goal again at Hartlepool tomorrow if David Martin does not recover in time from a rib injury.

Pearson said of the Academy graduate: "He did fine. He made a few very good saves and showed that one person's misfortune is someone else's opportunity."

Martin's injury, which was sustained in training, is the latest misfortune to befall City's goalkeepers.

Pearson said: "Paul Henderson has had an operation (on a groin injury) and will be out for a few weeks.

"Alex Cisak's wrist is in plaster but, over the season, you have to deal with injuries."

Pearson added about King: "Andy has scored some good goals for us this season. He keeps getting there and he will need to keep doing it.

"He is a strong character, He's an ever-present this season, 20 years of age with 11 goals. Well done. But, with 15 games to go, he has to keep on doing it."

Peterborough and Scunthorpe both suffered home defeats so the draw stretched City's advantage over third place to 16 points. Pearson admitted that City moving further away from third place caused him a wry smile to lessen the obvious disappointment of not cashing in more with a home win. He said: "I am not one to concentrate on results elsewhere but it seems it was a day when it turned out to be not too bad a point.

"We have had three draws at home in a row and we have deserved better than that.

The two 0-0s (against Brighton and Oldham) were frustrating in that it was good to keep clean sheets but we did not look likely to score as often as we have done this season. But, over a 46-game campaign, you can't have it all your own way.

"You do get ebbs and flows. Full credit to Swindon. They came with a very positive game-plan, scored on the counter-attack and then made it very difficult for us.

"It was not one of our best performances. We had chances to win the game but it was not up to our usual standard although the unbeaten run continued."

After tomorrow's trip to Hartlepool, City go to Bristol Rovers and then face the clash everyone is waiting for – at MK Dons. This is a stage in the season when experience is valuable, but Pearson has every faith in his younger talent to see the job through.