Finally, we’ve got something to hold on to this season after late goals beat Bristol City.I’ve never known a season fly by as quickly as this one, can it really be seven months ago that Watford came to Carrow Road, beat City easily and gave us all such cause for concern.
I was convinced after that match in early August that we were going to struggle this season, but after what we can now look back at a marvellous season, we’re in the top two and we’ve now got something to cling on to.
Sky’s choice to screen this clash meant all the other promotion challengers had played this weekend and after some great results, only single points were picked up by most of the top ten. That meant a win over Bristol City, themselves pre-season favourites to be there or thereabouts would give Norwich a three-point barrier from third place.
I’d missed City’s 1-1 draw against Preston due to illness, but was back in my Jarrold Stand seat to see City kick off with a real bang. Wes Hoolahan won a fortunate penalty inside 45 seconds and Grant Holt cooly despatched the spot kick past David James. One-up with less than two minutes on the clock.
From then on in, the first half wizzed by with the visiting Robins doing little. Albert Adomah, linked with City last summer went close, but City could and should have increased their lead, perhaps Simeon Jackson’s failure to get anything on a Russell Martin cross/shot was the most glaring miss.
City looked solid, Elliot Ward was simply outstanding and the midfield was busy and workmanlike. Jackson looked lively and on another night could have scored five. Sadly for the Canadian, he just doesn’t inspire confidence in front of goal. Sure he’s full of pace and positivity. But Jackson in the top flight? The jury’s out.
Jackson had the best of plenty of chances to put Norwich 2-0 or 3-0 up and an Andrew Crofts piledriver fizzed just over the bar. But despite the constant Norwich pressure – and it was at times just simply a matter of when Norwich scored, they just couldn’t get that vital second.
And you know what happens when you don’t score a second goal in The Championship? Yep, you get punished. Cue a quick break, some hesitant Norwich defending, a fortunate deflection and with 20 minutes to go, City found themselves at 1-1 and heading for a third straight home score draw.
Henri Lansbury came on for Jackson with ten minutes to go, and City pushed for a deserved winner.
With the game nearing the 90 minute mark, City found the winner. Hoolahan picked up John Ruddy’s long clearance, seemed to have fluffed his shot but then fired past James.
Four minutes of injury time to hang on for City and, with less than a minute of added time gone, it got even better.
Good work from Lansbury in the corner fell to Andrew Surman who hit the ball hard and low through James’ legs for his first goal in a City shirt.
Fantastic overall performance, crucial night for City to win, and now, something to build on for The Canaries. Win the rest of our games and we’re in the Premier League – and it’s been a long, long time since we’ve been able to utter to say that.
