Match verdict: Four-star Leicester City are off to flyer

The Championship campaign, which gets under way on Saturday, may be the priority for Nigel Pearson but he demonstrated that he was not taking the Capital One Cup lightly last night.

The City boss named the same side that started in their final pre-season friendly against Sunderland last weekend.

Pearson was fully aware that a confidence boosting win for his new-look City side at Torquay would give City belief going into the visit of Peterborough after an unusually long close season.

That meant Jermaine Beckford and Jamie Vardy were the starting strike force in a 4-4-2 formation, with Ben Marshall and Lloyd Dyer providing the width.

Matty James and Danny Drinkwater were given the task of dominating in the central areas.

Youngster Liam Moore continued alongside captain Wes Morgan at the heart of the defence, with Ritchie De Laet and Paul Konchesky in the full-back slot.

10 mins: City make the better start and have the first effort on goal. Vardy does well in his own half to win possession, beat two defenders and lay the ball off for Marshall, who races to the edge of the box but fires high and wide.

11 mins: Torquay respond and Lee Mansell's header is deflected wide for a corner to the hosts, but the corner is harmless.

14 mins: The Gulls go mightily close to breaking the deadlock. James loses possession in his own half, the hosts break and Ian Morris' shot from the edge of the area is deflected just wide by Morgan. Again, the delivery of the corner is frankly poor.

16 mins: Dyer does well to get to the by-line and deliver a teasing cross, which Beckford glances just over the bar. At this point, City are looking useful on the attack, with the pace and movement of the front two unsettling the Gulls defence.

21 MINS: GOAL Dyer capitalises on poor defending from Joe Oastler and rounds the keeper to score comfortably. The full-back fails to deal with Morgan's ball forward and Dyer flicks it over his head and beats the keeper with ease.

22 mins: Schmeichel tips away Mansell's header from under the bar as the Gulls look to hit back. Since the goal, Torquay have raised their game and are testing City more, but City are standing firm.

35 mins GOAL: Marshall scores a fantastic curling free-kick into the top corner of the Torquay net from the left corner of the penalty area. It is a stunning strike and gives City a good cushion. Marshall is rapidly developing a reputation for scoring spectacular goals. James won the free-kick after being felled by Damon Lathrope.

Half-time: Torquay 0 City 2

46 mins Great start to the second half for City as Beckford and Vardy combine sweetly with some one-touch passing and Beckford tests Poke with a low drive.

50 mins: Goal City break down the left and Beckford picks up the ball on the edge of the box and picks out James' well-timed run and his first time finish extends City's lead.

51 mins: City threaten to over run their hosts and Marshall breaks from midfield and shoots from the edge of the box but Poke saves down to his right.

61 mins: City surge forward again and Dyer picks out the run of Beckford who tries to go around Poke but the Gulls keeper does well to deny the City striker.

66 mins: SUBSTITUTION City bring on David Nugent for the excellent Dyer. Vardy moves to the right flank and Marshall swaps to the left.

73 mins: SUBSTITUTION Andy King for James in midfield.

77 mins: GOAL Marshall's long ball picks out Vardy, who plants a header past Poke to kill off the tie completely.

82 mins: A brave header from Marshall off his own line under pressure caps a superb all-round display by the winger.

83 mins: De Laet breaks forward down the right on the over-lap and fizzes a shot just inches wide of the far post. City don't look like they are content to sit on their lead and see the game out. They are going for more goals.

87 mins: Marshall tees up Nugent and his strike is superbly saved by Poke but it rebounds to Vardy, who puts the ball into the net. However, he is ruled off-side.

90 mins: Beckford is still looking to get in on the goals and tries his luck with a superb half volley from an acute angle which again is just wide of the far post.

90 mins +1: Rene Howe tries to grab a consolation for the hosts but wastes the best chance for the Gulls in the second half as he fails to hit the target after getting in behind the City defence.

FULL-TIME: TORQUAY 0 cITY 4