For the Leicester City players, management and backroom staff the culmination of a season of hard work comes down to tonight’s play-off semi-final second leg in Cardiff.

2,000 Foxes fans are set to make the journey across the border and thousands more will pack out pubs and huddle in front of televisions, their nerves frayed by nail-biting tension, as they get behind their team.

A goal down after Peter Whittingham’s precise free-kick separated the sides at the Walkers Stadium on Sunday, Nigel Pearson’s men must score tonight to at least take the tie to extra-time, and a positive result will require one of City’s best performances of the season.

Cardiff City are one of the finest attacking sides in the Championship, with the likes of Whittingham, Jay Bothroyd and Michael Chopra all potential match-winners. Leicester will need to keep an eye on things at their end of the pitch as well as going for goal, with a patient yet positive approach required. Those with the courage to play their natural game on the night are most likely to succeed.

The attacking instincts of the Welsh side, coupled with the backing of an impassioned home crowd will make it hard for them to sit back and hold onto the lead. But, on such big occasions, this fights with human nature and if the Cardiff players wrestle with these philosophies, it could be for something for City to exploit.

Blackpool showed against Forest last night, that a team playing without the pressure of an expectant home ground has more freedom to express themselves and the creative talents of Paul Gallagher, Richie Wellens and Andy King could lap that up and be absolutely crucial this evening.

Nigel Pearson has already over-achieved to claim a fifth place finish after last season’s promotion and City’s pragmatic manager is staying positive ahead of tonight’s season defining fixture.

“We’ve got another tie coming up very quickly and we know what we’ve got to do… We’ve got to win it to keep our season alive. There’s still a lot of football to be played, there’s no doubt about that and it’s finely poised at this moment in time. There’s one goal between the sides and it’s going to be interesting. We still know that we can cause them problems.

“I know Cardiff go into the tie as favourites and we’ve got to make sure we give it our best shot. We’ve worked really hard to get this far in the season and why can’t we win it like any of the other teams?”

After two or three enforced first-leg changes, a number of players could be pushing for a spot in the starting eleven, including the previously suspended Steve Howard, and Pearson admitted that the experienced striker comes back into contention.

“Of course he does yeah. We’ve got a few options going into the next tie. We’ll look at who’s picked up knocks, but as I’ve said to the players, it is very much a case of being positive. We’ve been one nil down before at half-time and turned it around, so why can’t we do it this time?”

When asked if another returning striker, Matty Fryatt, should’ve done better with that one on one chance in the second half of the first leg, Pearson remained tight-lipped but positive about having Matty at his disposal again.

“I don’t know, you can speculate on that. It’s good to have him back, he makes great runs and if he gets the opportunity again, who knows? It’s great to have him back. He makes super runs and he is a problem for defenders.”

Steve Howard has enjoyed a successful partnership with Fryatt in the last couple of seasons and was firing on all cylinders until his sending off against Watford last month. The 34-year-old experienced promotion with Derby County in 2007 and revealed how he, Matt Oakley and Wayne Brown have all tried to pass on their play-off experience to the rest of the squad.

“We’re trying because it’s a very intimidating atmosphere, the play-offs, and we’re advising them to try and stay calm and hold their nerve because it’s the team that doesn’t let the occasion get to them is the winner. Whatever advice I can give them, I’ll try and give.”

When asked about the mood of the squad in recent weeks, one word sprang into the striker’s mind.

“I’d say determined, without a shadow of a doubt, we are determined not to let ourselves down and not let the fans down. We’ve got so far and we’re determined to see this all the way through.”

Club captain Matt Oakley is confident that City’s young guns have the maturity and composure to deal with the occasion, but is ready to pass on his experience and calming influence if required.

“Jack Hobbs has grown in stature this year, Andy King looks like he’s been playing in this league for years, Martyn Waghorn looks cool in front of goal, and Michael Morrison’s done well, so there are good lads in our squad. If there’s anything we need to pass on then we’ll do it, but I’m quite happy for them to keep doing what they’re doing.”

Cardiff boss Dave Jones is prepared for another extremely tough game and was pleased with how his player’s coped with the play-off pressure in the first-leg.

“I said to them before we went out, we’ve just got to be us and play. It’s difficult because do you go defensive? We’ve just got to be positive. We defended well and there was a spell in the first half when they didn’t have anywhere to go.

“The players know we’ve had to work hard to get something and we’re going to have to work even harder to get it again on Wednesday. People say that they’ve got nothing to lose – they have, they’ve got a lot to lose and the games come with their own pressure.”

Jones is well aware of the impact promotion will have on the whole club, but also knows that the job is only half done.

“All I’m focusing on is Leicester. Semi-finals and finals are life-changing events within a football club because everything goes up another notch, but to get to that notch you’ve got to work damn hard. The players have worked hard for the first-half and have a second half still to come.”

Jones and Nigel Pearson are good friends away from the hustle and bustle of the technical area and the Cardiff man knows that he won’t get much change out of his mate.

“Nigel isn’t going to give me anything, not a thing. I’ve got a lot of time and respect for him. He’s a good friend of mine and I’m doing battle with him and he’s doing the same to me, and we’ve got it all to do again.

“I picked him up the day after we played them at home. I wish I’d left him on the motorway now! I’ve got a tough one against him and they’ve got some good players and so have we, so we all get ready for the next instalment.”