This was a total mismatch as what is effectively a Coca-Cola Championship club brushed aside what will soon be a League Two team with a considerable amount of ease.

Rock bottom Cheltenham Town went into the game without a win in 15 matches, in stark contrast to runaway leaders Leicester City, who were on a club record unbeaten run.

So it was no surprise to see the Foxes extend their undefeated streak to 23 games and they matched their goal total at Whaddon Road earlier in the season to spoil Robins boss Martin Allen's return to the Walkers Stadium.

Allen regards his four-game stint as Leicester boss in 2007 as a success, but the fact that none of the 12 permanent signings he made are in the current Foxes side says a lot about his 96-day reign.

Current boss Nigel Pearson has used the club's spending power to rebuild and assemble a very effective team, who were far too hot for Cheltenham to handle.

For all of Leicester's individual quality with the ball on the floor, it was the brute force of target man Steve Howard that did the damage in the first half, giving the Foxes a two-goal cushion at the break.

Shane Duff is probably Cheltenham's most adept player in the air, but he could not cope with Howard's strength and height, and neither could his partner Andy Gallinagh.

Leicester's 15th minute first was so simple as Manchester United loanee Tom Cleverley's ball found Howard who was free to direct a header into the top left corner.

And it was Howard who created the Foxes' second, nodding Michael Morrison's punt forward into Matty Fryatt's path and League One's most deadly marksman finished well to make it 2-0 with his 28th goal of the season.

To make matters worse for Cheltenham, skipper John Finnigan went off injured five minutes before half-time with an ankle injury picked up while throwing himself in front of a shot on the edge of the penalty area.

He was replaced by Michael Townsend, who added height at centre-back, with specialist right-back Gallinagh pushed forward into midfield, while specialist midfielder David Bird remained at right-back, where he was up against the lively Max Gradel.

Cheltenham's best chance arrived early in the second half as Paul Connor headed against the bar from close range and Connor then played a dangerous ball across Leicester's six-yard box, but Ian Westlake could not reach it and Leicester then stepped up a gear.

Teenager Jack Durrant was handed his Football League debut in the second half in place of Leicester old boy Josh Low.

By that time, Leicester had added two more to their tally, with Cleverley instrumental to both.

The exciting prospect made it 3-0 in the 67th minute, capitalising on an error from Lee Ridley, who dwelt on the ball, before skipping past Duff and tapping home from close range.

Leicester's captain Matt Oakley added the fourth after more good work from Cleverley in the 71st minute at the end of a superb passing move that originated deep inside Leicester's own half

The gulf between the clubs on and off the field was plain for all to see.

Despite the result, Cheltenham's travelling support of 370 were determined to enjoy themselves, initiating congas and Mexican waves, stiking up a rapport with the noisy and sympathetic home fans, who were actually chanting 'Cheltenham' at times in the second half.Leicester City: Stockdale; Gilbert, Morrison, Hobbs, Mattock (Powell 81); Oakley (Berner 72), Cleverley, King, Gradel; Fryatt, Howard (Hayles 72). Subs not used: Dyer, Pentney. Cheltenham Town: Brown; Bird, Gallinagh, Duff, Ridley; Watkins (Connor 46), Finnigan (Townsend 40), Westlake, Low (Durrant 72), Spencer; Hammond. Subs not used: Puddy, Bignall.