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Town 3-1 Norwich City
Town 3-1 Norwich City
Sunday, 19th Nov 2006 16:01

Derby goal specialist Danny Haynes was once again the hero as the Blues deservedly recorded their first home win over Norwich since 1998. In the first half the Canaries went ahead through Luke Chadwick, but Town equalised via Sylvain Legwinski, before late sub Haynes netted twice.

Town lined-up as expected with new loanees Mike Pollitt and Matthew Bates making their debuts. Bates replaced Fabian Wilnis at right-back, while Pollitt took over from Supple in goal, the Irishman dropping to the bench.

Simon Walton came in for the departed Mark Noble in midfield, while Owen Garvan was on the bench for the first time this season. Billy Clarke joined Alan Lee in attack after recovering from his knee injury. Town fielded four loan players in a starting line-up for the first time.

The Blues started the stronger of the two sides and Alan Lee hit a shot on the turn over the bar in the sixth minute. Two minutes later Legwinski went wide as Town dominated the early possession.

Gary Roberts came close to opening his Town goals account on nine when his shot from the right deflected into the air and over Norwich keeper Paul Gallacher but Jason Shackell was back to head the ball off the line.

Clarke shot wide from 20 yards, then a Roberts shot deflected straight to Gallacher. On 22 the Blues should have been in front when Bates whipped in a superb right-foot cross to Lee who got under the ball and headed over when he ought to have scored.

Town had been so dominant that it took until the 24th minute for Norwich to have their first shot and even that, a 30-yard Earnshaw strike, failed to hit the target.

However, as so often when a side is on top but fails to take their chances, the Canaries went in front. Huckerby crossed from the left and there seemed little danger until Matt Richards, perhaps seeing the ball late as it came out of the lunchtime sun, mis-cleared into the path of Norwich debutant Luke Chadwick, who made no mistake from eight yards.

Shortly afterwards, the Blues were briefly reduced to 10 men with Jason De Vos going off for stitches to a head wound, returning with a Terry Butcher-esque bandage.

Walton forced Gallacher into a save with a shot from a deep corner as the Blues continued to have the better of the match despite having gone behind.

Town ought to have been awarded a penalty in the 38th minute when Gary Docherty held Alan Lee down as a Bates cross came in from the right. Legwinski and Lee appealed at length to referee Trevor Kettle, but the official wasn't interested and instead had words with Lee and Doherty on the next occasion that the ball went out of play.


But the equaliser was only two more minutes in coming. Legwinski won the ball on the edge of the area and found the always dangerous Roberts. The loanee from Accrington Stanley played a short pass to Billy Clarke, the youngster threading a neat ball in to Legwinski, who took a touch and hit a shot across Gallacher and into the corner of the net. It was a very well worked goal, reminiscent of some of Arsenal's and perhaps appropriately scored by a Frenchman.

The goal gave the Blues new impetus and the Norwich penalty area was under constant pressure for the next few minutes, Clarke mis-hitting a good chance wide from a Walton cross.

At the other end, De Vos blocked a Chadwick shot, but it was the Blues who finished the half on top, Clarke turning and shooting wide and De Vos and Lee getting in one another's way as they both sought to head in a corner, the ball flying over the bar.

An excellent first half performance from Town, the only downside the error on the goal from Richards, but who as usual was heavily involved for the Blues at both ends of the field. Once again Legwinski steadied the centre of midfield, while Clarke and Roberts were causing the Canary backline all sorts of problems with their pace and skill.

The second half started more slowly and it wasn't until the 53rd minute that Town had their first shot on goal, Gallacher saving Clarke's shot low to his left at his near post.

Town had another gilt-edged chance in the 55th minute, Richards doing well to find Clarke in space inside the area. The Irishman hit a powerful shot which Gallacher couldn't hold but Richards following up sent the ball over the bar when he should have scored.

Simon Walton thought he'd won a penalty in the 60th minute when he was felled by Drury, but referee Kettle felt the offence had been committed just outside the box. After Hughes had been booked for encroachment, Roberts retake of the freekick went over the bar.

Walton got his name in Mr Kettle's book for a foul on Huckerby in the 64th minute, although it was fairly evident that little or no contact had been made. Almost immediately, Legwinski was also booked for a foul on Earnshaw, the Frenchman having appeared to lose his footing on the increasingly cut-up pitch. The yellow card was the midfielder's fifth of the season and he will now miss the game away at Derby.

There were more appeals for a penalty in the 66th minute when Harding cut in from the left before Chadwick's shoulder-to-shoulder challenge forced him off the ball. Not long after, Carl Robinson picked up a caution for a foul on Bates, the loan defender from Middlesbrough less than impressed with the challenge.

Alan Lee again appeared to be held by Doherty as a Roberts cross came into the area in the 70th minute, but once more referee Kettle failed to award a penalty. Even without any intervention from Lee, Roberts's cross caused problems with Gallacher forced to paw the ball off his line.

A Legwinski volley was blocked by a defender on its way into the net, then Earnshaw missed a good chance at the other end, heading a cross from the right wide when unmarked inside the Town area.

Clarke saw a shot blocked in the 73rd minute and appeared to injure his knee in the clash. Three minutes later Danny Haynes took over from Clarke, who had put in another impressive shift.

Richards lashed a shot wide with his right foot, but within a minute the Blues were in front. Richards laid the ball wide to Roberts, who whipped in a cross beyond Lee to Haynes, whose powerful header rocketed into the back of the net continuing the striker's extraordinary record against the Canaries.

Earlier this month Haynes, who had a trial with Norwich before joining the Town academy, scored twice for the reserves in a 3-0 win and last season memorably netted the winner in the senior derby at Carrow Road, having previously scored another three goals over two more victories for the reserves.

There was a scare for the Blues in the 80th minute when Doherty headed a corner back to Earnshaw but Pollitt read the situation quickly and stopped the Welshman's attempt. Norwich sub Dion Dublin blocked Pollitt's subsequent kick, but the veteran striker handled the ball.

Soon after, a bone-crunching, but perfectly legal, Bates challenge propelled Chadwick against the advertising hoardings, the former Manchester United man injuring his shoulder and eventually being taken away on a stretcher.

Lee was unlucky not to add to Town's lead in the 85th minute, Dickson Etuhu nodding his header from a Roberts corner off the line. Roberts's subsequent shot flew just over the bar.

Town were still on top and were looking more likely to add to their lead than the Canaries were to equalise, but as the game moved into injury time, De Vos superbly cut out a low ball across the Town six-yard box from the left.

The Blues' victory was finally sealed in the second minute of time added on. Richards saw a shot blocked but the ball rebound to him as Haynes found space on the edge of the area to his left. The former England U21 international laid the ball off to the striker, who curled in his second of the game off the inside of the post and into the net to give the Blues a second successive derby victory.

There was no way back from there for the Canaries and when Mr Kettle whistled to signal the end, it was Suffolk which was celebrating.

Probably Town's best performance of the season. Boss Jim Magilton had clearly instilled some derby passion in his side which dominated from start to finish. The midfield of Legwinski, Walton, Richards and Roberts bettered their Norwich counterparts for the entire 90 minutes, while at the back there were far fewer moments of concern than have become the norm of late. Both full-backs spent more time attacking down the flanks than they did defending and both debutants had games to remember.

Up front, Lee and Clarke ran tirelessly and they were both unlucky not to score. But cometh the hour, cometh the Dan, Haynes was once again on hand to add crucial derby-winning goals.

Town: Pollitt, Bates, Harding, De Vos, Bruce, Legwinski, Walton, Richards, Roberts, Lee, Clarke (Haynes 76). Unused: Supple, Naylor, Garvan, Macken. Att: 27,276.


Photo: Action Images



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